Thrifty Thursday - Best Day of the Week to Shop

 From gas....

 to groceries.....

 and clothing,

or travel, there are better days of the week to make those important purchases. Here's a great article that came out recently I'm sharing in hopes you will find a good deal by following these guidelines.
Yahoo! Finance - Best Day of the week to shop
I am planning a trip with my youngest daughter so I'm going to put this to the test. Let me know if you have some success yourself.

Tasty Tuesday - Yogurt Cheese and Artisan Bread Dippers

I have been fascinated by the idea of making my own cheese, so I picked up a magazine on the subject the other day and tried my hand at an easy and very tasty soft cheese. I had some artisan bread on hand as well so I made tasty dippers to go along with this luscious and creamy cheese. A perfect way to start a party, or to snack on during a hot summer day, just add fruit or a salad as a side, along with fresh lemonade, and you will be praised for your culinary prowess. Here's how to go about making the cheese:
Yogurt Cheese
2 cups plain low fat yogurt
2 tablespoons heavy cream, (optional but improves the texture and spreadability of the cheese)
cheesecloth (can be found at your local hardware store
colander
Line the colander with the cheesecloth and clip to edges with clothespins or clips. Mix the yogurt and cream together and pour into the cheesecloth lined colander. Place the colander in/on a large bowl to catch the whey as it drains. Place in the refrigerator and allow the mixture to drain. After about 4 hours check to see how much of the whey has drained into the bowl and pour off. You can save and freeze the whey to be used in soups, gravy or bread. When whey stops draining, the yogurt cheese is ready. This will take about 48 hours. Don't worry about covering the colander. I noticed that I didn't have much whey drain off. Perhaps it was because I used non-fat yogurt, but anyhew, this still worked.
I seasoned my yogurt cheese with chopped chives, a few dashes of celery salt and some garlic powder. Wow, is that yummy! You can also make a sweet yogurt cheese for bagels and such by using vanilla flavored or fruit flavored yogurt. If you'd like to add fruit, use dried, snipped fruit and fresh will make the cheese runny.
Artisan Bread Dippers
Any good bread such as french, rye, or sourdough will do
melted butter
Old Bay Seasoning
Slice bread about a half inch thick and brush both sides with butter. Sprinkle with Old Bay Seasoning on both sides as well. Place on cookie sheet and toast under broiler until golden brown. Slice bread into strips and let cool. Serve with yogurt cheese and fresh fruit. Yummy!

Thursday Travelogue - Portland, Oregon

 Beautiful Portland, Oregon is a wonderful city full of arts, events such as the blues festival coming up tomorrow, and eating establishments galore. International taste treats from so many countries I can't list them all here at this time, but if there's something you like in the way of food, clothing or art, you will find it here.

We are staying at the Marriott Waterfront Portland, which, if we had been given and choice and known would not have been our favorite. Don't get me wrong, Marriott usually has some of the best hotels around, but we are not so impressed with our room here. The pros are the view, the bed, and furniture are nice, the concierge service, which is perfect, and the pillows, which are like sleeping on a cloud. The room is small though for the price, only one towel rack in the bathroom, and it's in the shower, no fridge or microwave, which is a must for those of us who like good food but can't eat the whole meal all at once. Having said that, our preference would have been the Marriott Residence Inn, which is incredible! The rooms are so spacious and well equipped, with a way to store and cook food if needed, a nice living room area, and I do remember the bathroom being much bigger. I do have a question though, why is it there are no exhaust fans in the bathrooms of the fancier hotels? Anyhew, we are enjoying our stay, and love being here.

A Wing and a Prayer.......

Thus seems to be how my life has been lately, running on a wing and a prayer. I can tell I'm running so behind, and really not very in tune by the simplest of things. Today we talked about tithing in Relief Society. There was some great discussion, but I discovered as I was reading the June "Ensign" magazine our church puts out every month, while eating my lunch, that there was an even more in depth article on tithing, which happened to be the first one in the publication. The points of discussion in the article would have added to our discussion and better understanding, if, we had read THAT particular article when the magazine first arrived in the mail. So, a missed opportunity to share, because I'm so scattered and not as focused as I should be on taking advantage of the words of wisdom that are in the Ensign. Lesson learned I hope.
In the same magazine came an answer to a struggle I was having with helping a friend in need. My struggle is that I've a 3 day window to get some needed cleaning, organizing, and art work done. My friend has an appointment 2 hours away from here to see a neurosurgeon and was driving herself in to town. She has numbness in her hands which is starting to travel up her arms, she has severe arthritis and has trouble walking without help and the drive one way is enough to wear her out. So I volunteered to drive her in. I was feeling stressed about it though, and was praying in my heart to have some peace about the "to do" until I read in.... Luke 24:28-29 where the Savior was traveling through a village on his way to somewhere, and when spotted he was asked to stay and spend time with people there. Although he was headed elsewhere, he stayed, although unplanned. The article states that sometimes the greatest opportunities to bless and serve come when it isn't convenient. Such also was the case of the good Samaritan, who interrupted his journey to minister to a stricken man's needs. There is no way I would have peace knowing she was driving in to town without an adult with her to help. I will drive, we will see her doctors, then go have a good lunch somewhere. On the way we can visit, which I get so little time to do with friends anyway. I have a feeling that I will be the one blessed.......
Now I'm ready to start making phone calls to family members to get a tally on who is coming to our reunion in two weeks. I couldn't find the list, or so I thought, as it's been a bit since I sent out letters and a myriad of events, tasks and so on had clouded my memory as to where I put the list of phone numbers. So I got down and said a prayer after unloading the pocket of my computer bag where I thought I had last seen the list, and lo and behold, after the prayer I looked down and there was the list! Yes, it was in the pile, but not readily seen. So, life these days is running on a wing and a prayer, but who can doubt that prayers are answered?

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom - Staying Alive on the Road

The robins were dancing around slithering worms in the road as I went for a run this morning. It seemed as if I'd been transported back to Oregon as the drizzle touched my cheeks. The air, washed clean by the night's rain was sweet and clear, refreshing my lungs and energizing my spirit. My heart was full to bursting as I marveled at the beauty of our rugged desert terrain and the gift it is from God. Aahhhhh! What a way to start a day!
My words of wisdom for today have to do with safe driving. I don't know about you, but driving a small car on the freeway can be a daunting experience, especially when large semi-trucks blow by and seem to want to take you with them in their air stream. My tip is this, watch your rear view and keep an eye on those trucks as they come up behind you. Most truck drivers are very responsible and will make sure they pass you safely, but on occasion there are those who should have never been let behind the wheel of anything, much less a large truck. Because of the weather the last few months, I've had several instances where a truck would blow by me, but a gust of wind would swing their trailer end in my direction, yipes! Once or twice there have been drivers who couldn't seem to wait until they got by me before they moved back into the right hand lane. On our way back from Flagstaff a few weeks ago, a trucker had just gotten her cab past our tiny car when she pulled back into our lane. IF I hadn't been watching her, we would have been wiped off the road and I wouldn't be here to share this. I had to swing over to the shoulder, slam on the brakes, and no I didn't swear, but I did lay on the horn. Luckily no one was following her too closely so we were safe from that direction. We got back on the road and caught up with her, she was going 70 in a 65 MPH zone, took down the truck number and the company phone number and slowed down to 60 while Kent called the incident in. Later on down the road she was pulled off, staring at her cellphone and not looking too happy. We suspect this wasn't the first time for her as we got a phone call a few days later saying she'd been terminated and they were apologizing for the incident.
We are grateful for my having been conditioned to watch for the trucks, as we are still here, but I wonder how many other folks haven't been so lucky. So stay safe, watch your hinder ender as Thelma used to say, and be well.

Tasty Tuesday - Southwest Chipotle Chicken

 We all have those days when a craving hits, and you have to find a way to satisfy it. Yesterday afternoon was one of those where I was craving something with a barbecue flavor but with lots of veggies added. We'd picked up fresh bell peppers and baby Portobello mushrooms at Costco and they were calling my name. So I grabbed some of our Costco chicken and all the veggies and sauce fixings I could find and came up with a sort of east meets west type of chicken that my Nature Guy raved about!

This dish has a nice smoky barbecue flavor due to the Chipotle chilies but isn't too sweet. If you don't have the sweet chili sauce try apricot or peach jam, but I think it really adds to the flavor. You can find it in most Asian food sections of your grocery store. So because I love you, I will share!

SOUTHWEST CHIPOTLE CHICKEN AND RICE
1 1/2 lbs, boneless skinless chicken thighs or breast, cubed
2 bell peppers, any color, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 stalk of celery, sliced
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
6 cloves garlic, crushed
2- 4 chipotle chilies in adobo, diced
1/2 a fresh orange, peeled and diced
8 oz. tomato sauce
1/4 cup sweet chili dipping sauce, I used Mae Ploy
1 t. ginger
1/2 t. horseradish
1 t. salt or less depending on your taste

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a dutch oven or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add chicken, ginger and garlic and cook for 5 minutes. Add veggies and saute until veggies start to soften, sprinkling with salt to help the process. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook just until veggies are crisp tender, about 10 minutes. Serve over cooked rice. Yield, 4 - 6 servings. Bon appetite!


 

Sabbath Share - Desires dictate all other decisions....

Recently at the General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Elder Dallin H. Oakes said this, " Desires dictate our priorities, priorities shape our choices, and choices determine our actions." It has become clear to me that my children do see the reason for choices I've made over the years, and why I've tried to correct mistakes when possible and not redo the things that I know lead to misery instead of happiness. I can also see that they have a testimony, whether they realize it or not. I was lamenting to my youngest the fact that going to Alaska always seems to be a priority to my children and that I wished for once that some of my children gave me more priority. I try to not to put them on a guilt trip or get into the tug of war game that divorced parents can get into with their adult children but I felt it was time to speak up and see what the results were. So she tells me that she and her siblings know I will always be around for them, but with their Dad, he may go soon. He recently had a stroke and is still doing things that go against his doctors advice regarding his health issues. I asked her how she knew I would always be around and she said that she was talking with her brother or sister about the situation and they brought up my patriarchal blessing and how it says that if I'm trying to do as I should I will live a long time as she put it. Those aren't the exact words in the blessing, but you get the gist. It took me by surprise to say the least!
My desire has always been to have an eternal family. It took me awhile to fully understand the importance of following certain doctrines and commandments set by God to achieve that goal. I've made my share of poor decisions over the years, partly due to feelings of unworthiness regarding Heavenly Father and the Saviors love, but through trial and error, a lot of error, I'm heading in a better direction because I love my children and grandchildren enough.
I'm grateful to know that families can be together forever. I know I've said that over and over again, but with our recent visit to Arizona, and the heart rending goodbyes we have to make after a visit with our grandson and mommy, it's so comforting to know that no matter what happens we will see each other again some day, and if we obey the commandments, there will come a time when we don't ever have to say goodbye again. Won't that be wonderful??? I know that some folks don't even try because they think they can never make it, but I'm here to tell you that if I can make it anyone can! If we are honestly doing our best, the Savior has made up the gap for us.  That's also very comforting as I know I will never be perfect in this life. I'm very lousy at setting goals, so I think I will type up and print off the quote from Elder Oakes to remind me every day to keep my eyes and heart set on the right desires.
What are your desires?