Working on my side entry way and a stuffed pizza recipe

I have been working on my front door since I read and was convicted Ezekiel 44:5 which tells us to "mark well the entrance of the house." I was reminded to make the entrance to my home attractive and so planted some happy pansies, phlox, and geraniums to meet us and others at the door. Love my basket with our names on it

So then I started looking over at my side door and decided I need to do that one too. So I've started but not done I'll show you a little easy craft I did.

Start with a sign and ribbon of your choice...I picked green.

String through and make bow..tada..simple and cute, well I think cute, and of course hang.

I bought the sign and ribbon at Joann's fabric in the clearance.

Now the stuffed pizza recipe.

Stuffed Sausage and Cheese Pizza

http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/stuffed-pizza-687341/

or sometimes I replace the ricotta with provolone cheese....yummy

After doing yard work...Strawberry Ice Tea is in order.

I was craving some iced tea and I'll be honest I love sweet tea, but with this pregnancy just not wanting that sweetness. I made this instead and way yummier.

Ingredients

2 cups of fresh strawberries

1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice

5 cups unsweetened brewed ice tea, chilled

1/3 of a cup of raw honey

Additional strawberries for garnish (sliced)

Place strawberries and lemon juice in blender and puree. Pour puree into a 2 quart pitcher (I used a old milk bottle) and add the tea and honey ( add more honey if not swwet enouth to your liking); stir until honey dissolved. Chill. Float slices of strawberries in pitcher.

Sit back on a rocking chair on your back deck, sip and relax.

Apple Pie Oatmeal

I was in the mood for comfort this morning, and no one else in the house felt the same. So for me I made myself Apple Pie Oatmeal. Just what this momma needed warm, sweet, filling, and healthy. I hope you enjoy as much as I do.


Ingredients:

1/3 cup regular oats
1 tablespoon flax seed
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger + pinch of sea salt
1  1/4 cups Almond Milk
1 Macintosh apple, cut into 1 inch pieces (to peel or not to peel is up to you) or whatever kind you want
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup + more for drizzling
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tbsp chopped walnuts, for sprinkling on top

Directions:
1. In a medium sized pot over medium heat, whisk together the oats, chopped apple, 1 flax seeds, applesauce, Almond milk, 1 tbsp pure maple syrup, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ginger, pinch of sea salt. Whisk well.
2. Heat over medium heat for about 8 minutes, stirring often. When the mixture thickens and the liquid is absorbed, it is ready. Stir in the pure vanilla extract.
3. Pour into a dish and sprinkle with chopped walnuts, a pinch of cinnamon, and a drizzle of pure maple syrup.

Yummy!

Sometimes a girls just needs comfort food...Grilled Almond Butter and (my quick) Blueberry Jam Sandwich

This morning I had a yummy Baked Avocado and Egg...here's the link http://joyfulmelody.blogspot.com/2012/04/baked-avocado-and-egggood-ole-pinterest.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+SimplyAJoyfulMelody+%28Simply+a+Joyful+Melody%29
So this afternoon I got hit with a "I want comfort food" craving...I wanted a nut butter type of lunch, so let the creative juices flow and drooling begin. I made a Grilled Almond Butter, with my Mock Blueberry Jam for lunch. It was fantastic with a glass of milk this mommy was satisfied and stuck to a clean lunch.

Ingredients:

2 slices of Ezekiel Bread..(I used the cinnamon raisin)
1 tbsp of Almond butter...organic all natural
and my mock Blueberry Jam...(I take 6 fresh blueberries and a tiny squirt of Agave nectar and mash it up together....tada clean blueberry jam and you know whats in it)

Brought out my GF grill and grilled my sandwich until gooey. Pour a glass of milk and enjoy like you are 4 years old again. Who said comfort food can't be healthy and good for you?

Baked Avocado and Egg...good ole pinterest

I love Pinterest, if I had the time I'd be on there a bit more then I care to admit, love to look at the pretty pictures, craft ideas and even recipes....oh boy lots and lots of creative recipes. Well one of my friends had this recipe up and I thought what a quick breakfast to make, and I have the ingredients...so here it is. I followed the recipe back to it original website which is here http://foodbeast.com/content/2012/01/13/idea-baked-avocado-and-egg/ . If you don't feel like clicking here is the recipe.

preheat oven to 425, have cast iron pan in there

Slice avocado in half, take out pit

take pan out, put avocado half on, crack egg om

put whatever you want on top ( I used a little cheese on mine and pepper)

place in oven and cook till your eggs desire

There you go that simple and tasty, I paired mine up with some fruit on the side, it made for a fast, fresh, and healthy breakfast.

Creamy Avocado Pasta.....I love thee

1 medium sized ripe Avocado, pitted
1/2 lemon, juiced + lemon zest to garnish
1 garlic cloves, to taste (I have used 3 and it was quite garlicky, but if you are not a big fan of garlic use 1 clove)
1/2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 servings/6 oz of your choice of pasta (I used whole wheat)
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
(sometimes I add a handful of spinach too)

Directions:
1. Bring several cups of water to a boil in a medium sized pot. Add in your pasta, reduce heat to medium, and cook until Al Dente, about 8-10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, make the sauce by placing the garlic cloves, lemon juice, and olive oil into a food processor. Process until smooth. Now add in the pitted avocado, and salt. Process until smooth and creamy.
3. When pasta is done cooking, drain and rinse in a strainer and place pasta into a large bowl. Pour on sauce and toss until fully combined. Garnish with lemon zest and black pepper. Serve immediately. Makes 2 servings.

(if using spinach add it in where you add the avocado)

Enjoy..so yummy

Strawberry Shortcake Stacked Pancakes

 
No words to decribe how wonderful this is...al you could hear around the breakfast table was mmmmm,,,,,hmmmm,,,mmmmm,,,,wow. Seriously that sums it up.

Strawberry Shortcake Stacked Pancakes

Ingredients
1 cup + 1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

generous 1/4 tsp nutmeg

generous 1/4 tsp allspice

1/4 tsp cinnamon

Pinch or two kosher salt

3/4 cup Coconut Milk (I used regular, not low-fat, but I assume both work)

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 tbsp pure maple syrup

3/4 cup warm water

Oil, for skillet

Directions

 Preheat oven to 250F and grab a baking sheet. Whisk the dry ingredients (flour, coconut, baking soda, baking powder, spices, and salt) in a medium sized bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients (coconut milk, warm water, vanilla, maple syrup) and then add to the dry ingredients. Whisk well until no clumps remain.

 Preheat the skillet over medium heat and add some oil on the pan. Pour 1/4 cup of batter, per pancake, onto the skillet and quickly smooth out a circle with the back of a spoon. Cook until small bubbles appear on the surface and the bottoms of pancakes are golden. Reduce heat if necessary. Transfer to baking sheet and place in the oven to keep warm.

 Meanwhile, slice about 20 strawberries, and I made my Strawberry banana sorbet find recipe here http://joyfulmelody.blogspot.com/2012/04/strawberry-and-banana-sorbet.html

Then stack four pancakes with fresh strawberries inbetween each layer, and top off with sorbet and (real maple syrup if you wish) and I would say enjoy, but seriously devour...so good.