According to my calender, summer is upon us! I decided we should celebrate with a summery recipe featuring fresh, light flavors, so I chose my Classic Chicken Salad! Perfect salad choice for a picnic with your special person, brown-bag … Continue reading
Looking for a easy Southern Dinner without heating up the house? Then look no further! Click on over to my newest recipe @ SidetrackedSarah. Crock Pot Chicken and Veggies is a great Southern Meal in the Summertime without all the fuss and … Continue reading
This post is sponsored by Authors of the Marietta Fair Series. My opinions are 100% my own. You can view my full Disclosure Policy here. Well it’s that time again for so many country folk like me. What you say? … Continue reading
Welcome one and all to This Momma’s Meandering Mondays 60 and I want to offer a great, big thank you in advance to all of you who link up with us!
Now…let’s get the party started and come on in and join the fun by linking up your favorite posts! We had an absolutely awesome week last week! Share the fun and make some new friends, find a new yummy treat, or find a wonderful new craft idea to make. This is a great way to grow in your friendships! But before we start this party…Grab a badge!
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Please join me in welcoming our new co-host for the month of August…Miranda from Grace and Gravy!
Miranda is the author behind the blog GraceandGravy with a side of life! She is a Crunchy, Country Mama giving her look on a Homemade Life of Homeschool, Good Eats, (Mis) Adventures, and Living Grace-Filled Everyday! Miranda resides in Arkansas with her sweet husby William that she has been married to for 15 years and a homeschool mama to kiddos Keegan and Lindy. She loves her four-legged, fur babies and they make her life complete. Miranda is passionate about blogging, reading, crafting, cooking, planning/decorating, and learning to be a more self-sufficient Homesteader.
Here is a wonderful guest post that she contributed to my site last week called, “Ten Things I Want My Children to Know About Me“! Such an amazing post from the heart!
Now stop in and say howdy to my linky party partners in fun…
The wonderful Jessica from The Wondering Brain and Natasha from Epic Mommy Adventures.
Grab a badge and join the party!
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Now it is time to introduce our favorite This Momma’s Meanderer’s from last week, and boy oh boy it was a difficult choice! Don’t forget to grab your “I Was Featured” badge of honor! Congratulations to you all!
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Miranda’s favorite post came from Life As I Know It with the post “Weekending!”
Saying, “I like this post because I love getting away for the weekend. I love family time and relaxation. Those are the best vacations or staycations.”
Jessica’s favorite post came from Giveaways 4 Mom with the post “5 Reasons Age Three is Worse Than Age 2!”
Saying, “As a mom who has a 3 year old, I wholeheartedly agree! The most definite agreement is demanding. Now that my son is talking more his favorite words are “I want” and if he doesn’t get what he wants the terror screams happen! Boy oh boy! LOL!”
Natasha’s favorite post came from Just A Touch of Crazy with the post “5 Tips for Reading with A Kid Who Hates to Read!”
Saying, “I have been very fortunate to have a child that loves to read. However, if he didn’t enjoy reading, I would probably take advantage of these tips. Great post!”
My favorite post came from Organized Chaos with the post “What Makes Women Feel Beautiful!”
Such a beautiful post! Because of a great deal of negativity towards me, during my growing up years, it took me a long while to realize that I was beautiful on the inside, where it counts the most! I also realized that it is my husband and my kids who make me feel the most beautiful. When my kids tell me that I am the best mommy ever or when they come and tell me those things that have likely added to my gray hairs, I truly feel beautiful, because I know that they have complete trust in me.
Congratulations to all of you amazing and wonderful linkers! Don’t forget to grab and display our “Featured” badge!
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Thank you to all of you who joined us last week!
I am looking for September co-hosts for This Momma’s Meandering Mondays? If interested, please drop me a line at [email protected]. I would love to have you along for the ride! You can also check out my sponsor page for more info.
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Remember everyone enjoys a little comment love!
Feel free to “meander” by some fellow bloggers and find a new recipe to make for the family, a helpful blogging tip, a funny story to read, and best of all a new friend to make! There are really no rules to follow, only some suggestions to keep in mind…because we are all to enjoy the friendships that come along by doing these few simple and wonderful things…
1. Link up your favorite post…a story, a recipe, a photo, or a helpful tip…As many as you want, that’s right as many as you want!!!!
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Meander through the links and make some new friends, find some amazing and useful tips, and maybe even a new treat to try!
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Welcoming you to link up all of your favorite sites for This Momma’s Meandering Mondays 60, for more opportunity to Meander around and share the love! So happy Linking everyone!
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You might remember a TBT I posted a while back titled “Children of the Okra”. It was an old post that I re-shared about an awful experience in the Okra Jungle, helping my dad. I get chills just thinking about that day. I swore, Yes I swore, I would never eat okra again, but somewhere between then and now the thoughts from that day became less frightening and Fried Okra starting sounding appealing again!
A few weeks ago my dad brought over a few bags of okra that had finally decided to produce. Well, I certainly couldn’t pass it up so I decided to conquer my fear of okra and fry up some for dinner. My family was extremely pleased that my fear of okra was gone, because they had been missing my Southern Fried Okra for sometime now!
I got to work right away cutting it up, bagging most for the freezer and saving a bowl for dinner.
My okra batter is pretty basic. But it sure is good ole southern amazing!
What you need:
1 cup corn meal
1/2 flour
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
1 cup buttermilk
(0r 1 cup milk and 1 tbsp on vinegar, let set for appx 3 mins)
2 eggs
2 cups of cut okra
What you do:
Get your pan of oil hot and ready. (I use a cast iron Dutch Oven Skillet)
Slightly whisk your cornmeal, flour, salt, and peppers together in bowl.
In a separate bowl mix your milk and eggs together.
Add appx 10 pieces of okra into egg/milk.
Using a metal spoon with holes, scoop up okra and let mixture drain for a second before adding to the dry mixture.
Completely cover in the dry mixture and add to hot oil.
Fry until golden brown and crispy!
Continue until all okra is fried.
You will LOVE this okra! And to make it extra amazing, dip it in some good ole ranch! Yummo!
Don’t get much better than this here is the South!
This week it’s all been about Freshness, including Fresh Photos!
My daughter Lindy Photo taken by Carosello Fete Photography
So to go along with my Fresh, Fried Okra, I wanted to share with you some Fresh, Fun Photos taken by my friend and amazing photographer Erin Wilson.
Erin, from Carosello Blog is a handmade business owner, wife, mom and word mispronouncer. She blogs about her favorite things, cooking, business life, decor, DIY and personal style. She just moved from Oklahoma to Boston-ish and then back down to Arkansas. She has been a big city gal most of her life and now living in a quaint little small town. She just bought a new house and are deep into renovating madness. Erin always love a good cardigan, pink pedicures, liquid eyeliner, hot tea and exploring all things local.
This past week, Erin captured some amazing shoots of my daughter Lindy.
I think I will cry now.
She looks way to grown up in this pictures!
I can’t believe this shots!
My baby isn’t a baby anymore ):
You can also find Erin on Facebook. Head over and show her some Bloggy Love!
Hope everyone enjoys the Freshness this week!
I am a firm believer in teaching kids responsibility and that can be done from a very young age. My little guy is three and we have just started introducing jobs to him. He has been expected to do them for awhile now, but I really wanted to create a visual reminder for him. He can’t read yet, so a typical chart was out of the question. I started with clip-art but it just didn’t seam specific enough for me!
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Here in the South, summertime is in full-swing. Hot humid days, cool and relaxing evenings. I so love sitting on the front porch swing sippin Lemonade, or my all-time favorite, Sweet Tea. There are some things I just wouldn’t trade for the world, and one of those is fireflies for city lights, old farmhouses for condos and country barns for skyscrapers.
Of course, I completely understand if you were raised in the city how this would be reversed. And believe me I love to visit cities with bright lights, fancy stores and amazing restaurants, but after a visit I’m ready to come back home to the dirt roads, hay fields and stars in the sky. And it wouldn’t be the South in Arkansas that I love so deeply without good southern comfort food.
Here is Rural Arkansas we have a few staple foods. There isn’t any summertime meal complete with a side of coleslaw or baked beans. Whether its a weekend BBQ friends, a church potluck on Sunday afternoon or supper during the week, these two sides are always among the favorites.
I guess you can say along with our slower pace and a more laid back simple style of life, we still enjoy a little gourmet now and then. A couple weeks ago I was trying to think of an easy and fast mid-week meal but also something filling for my family. I had buns and hot dogs, and well really you can’t get any easier than that. Not only are hot dogs super fast but they are also super cheap. But in order to make it a complete meal I needed sides. Well of course I came back to cole slaw and baked beans.
As I was preparing the sides, I started thinking, why can’t I make a more elaborate meal out of what I have. If Chicago can have their own Chicago-Style Dog and San Francisco can have their own BLT Dog then shouldn’t Arkansas have their own dog? So I got to work.
First I made my cole slaw.
Grace and Gravy’s Southern Slaw
Ingredients:
1 Package of Pre-Shredded Cabbage Mix or a Head of Cabbage (to save time)
3/4 cup of Mayo
1/4 cup of Sugar
2 tsp of Lemon Juice
2 tbsp of Vinegar
1 tsp of Salt
1 tsp of Black Pepper
1 tsp of Paprika
How to Make:
1) Rinse your cabbage mix (remember this was supposed to be a fast and easy meal) and place in large serving bowl
2) In a separate bowl add your mayo, sugar, lemon juice, salt and pepper and mix well
3) Add your wet ingredients to your cabbage mix
4) Mix together well
5) sprinkle your paprika on top of slaw
6) Serve right away or place in fridge til serving time
Just enough sweetness and just enough tart!
Now it was time for my Baked Beans.
Grace and Gravy’s Southern Baked Beans
Ingredients:
6 Slices of Bacon
2 cans of Pinto Beans or 1/2 pd of dried Pinto Beans (Remember this was a fast, easy meal so I used cans)
1 can tomato paste
2 Tbsp Honey
1/4 cup of Brown Sugar
1/2 Diced Onion (I prefer white)
1/2 Bell Pepper Diced
3 Medium sized fresh Jalapeno Peppers
1/2 tsp Paprika
1/2 Cayenne Pepper
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
1 tsp Ground Mustard
1/2 tsp Cummin (optional)
What to Do:
1) Fry your bacon in a skillet (I prefer to use cast iron for this recipe)
2) Remove bacon but leave the bacon grease
3) Add your onion, jalapeno and bell pepper to grease and cook til soft
4) Dice your bacon up and add to pan
5) Drain your beans and add
6) Now add your brown sugar and honey and mix well
7) In a small bowl add your dry seasonings and mix lightly
8) Add your seasonings to pan and stir
9) Simmer on low to medium heat for appx 15 minutes
10) Enjoy
I really love the sweetness of the brown sugar and honey with the spicy of the peppers!
Okay! Now that I had my sides done, I was ready for my dogs.
How I make my Dogs:
I really like to have deli style hot dog buns. I really like the flavor to them better than the packaged kind. Sometimes your choice of bread will make all the difference to your dog, hamburger or sub.
Here is the thing about being Southern, we think everything should be fried! Oh yes! The greasier the better. So fry up your dogs on a griddle or a skillet.
Oh Boy, its gettin good now!
When grilled you now have two choices! I suggest trying them both to see which is your style.
You can leave your dog whole and place in bun, or you can spilt in half so that your toppings fit better! Thats my choice!
Now your ready for toppings! My husby enjoys mustard, so its whatever you enjoy, then I add a big ole scoop full of baked beans, and a big ole scoop full of slaw! What could be better than this for a Good Ole Southern Meal!
So Easy, So fillings and will serve eight! Or four if you have big ole boys!
I really hope you enjoy my Arkansas Po-Boy Dog! Would love to hear your thoughts!
English muffins are one of the very first types of bread that I ever attempted, which is why I always have a soft spot for them. For years I adored English muffins – whether they came from the supermarket out of a packet or in the form of a McMuffin from McDonalds, but it wasn’t until I made my own that I fell completely head over heels in love with them.
Homemade Espresso Drinks (Lattes, etc) – No Fancy Machine Needed!from Thrifty N Woman
This cold weather is causing me to seek some solice in a warm, cozy cup of coffee. Well, more accurately, a creamy foamy latte (hazelnut is my flavor of choice this morning). I worked my way through college as a Barista, and have not stopped whipping up espresso drinks since. Now my family and neighbors are the ones drinking my lattes.
In this world of go, go, go and do, do, do, it’s easy to drift far from the One who holds us secure. The One who goes before us, stands at our right hand and has the ability to keep us from being shaken.
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Do you have local festivals?
Our county (which consists of 5 small, mainly rural, towns) hosts The Peach Festival, every July, that has been ongoing 1938! Wow! It’s actually the oldest festival in the state of Arkansas. I feel honored to be a part of such amazing history every year.
And did I mention food?
Just like county fairs, our festivals have some of the best food around! Funnel Cakes, Fried Pies, Foot Long Corn Dogs, and Snow Cones, you can pretty much find it all here.
Photo Courtesy of The Peach Festival Board
The Peach Festival will start next week, so to get in the “Peachy” spirit I decided to start experimenting with peach recipes.
I love peaches! I love the sweet, juicy taste that runs down your chin as you take a big bite (: In fact I don’t think I have came across a single peach dish that I haven’t loved!
If you have read my bio, then you know I’m a crunchy girl. Technically I love the Earth, try to eat organic as much as possible and I make a lot of our soaps and cleaners. I’m also a vegetarian so I eat a lot of granola.
I really like making my own so I can determine exactly what I am adding to it. So I wanted to share this super easy Baked Granola and Peaches recipe with you today.
Baked Granola & Peaches
What you need:
4 fresh peaches
For Granola:
1 cups oats
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 brown sugar
1/8 cup oil
1/2 cup homemade or organic maple syrup
What you do:
1) Cut your peaches in half and remove pit.
2) Spoon a small amount of peach out to make room for granola.
3) Mix the oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and oil together and then add in maple syrup.
4) Spoon granola onto each peach half.
5) Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and lay peaches on.
6) Bake peaches at 350 for appx 15-20 mins or until peaches are soft.
Another option for Granola:
If you want granola for later, spread evenly on lined cookie sheet and bake. Store in a dry container.
Super easy and super delish! Great for breakfast, brunch or a mid-afternoon snack.
You can top with cream (pictured) if you desire. This cream consists of heavy whipping cream which I mixed until it become creamed. I’m not a cream snob (: I enjoy my Ready Whip and Cool Whip just like anybody else! Ice Cream is also very good on top of the warm peaches!
Pick your Pleasure and Enjoy!
And don’t miss The Peach Festival Blog Post coming soon!
Welcome Back!
I am so glad you decided to join me again for our series on “Summer Dates on a Budget”.
Everyone loves getting to spend a few hours alone with the husby, boyfriend, or partner, without having to eat your food cold because you fed the baby first, or wiping food out of your hair that your 2 year old threw at you, or in my case having 2 nosey teenagers listen to your every word that I’m trying to say to my husby :/ How romantic is that!
Our emotional, mental and physical (: health strives for these outings alone. But I know that for most of the time, money is tight and the last place you think to spend it is on your self. Right?
There is always diapers to buy, water bill to pay, school supplies to think about, not to mention that for some reason these little people in our house think they need to eat 3 times a day (:
If you are having some of those same thoughts I just mentioned, then you come to the right place, because I am going to give you another Summer Date Idea on a Budget.
And if you have missed my last 2 posts in the series, I hope you will catch up.
*Click on picture to take you to link 
Have you heard the old saying “While the kids are away, the parents will play”?
Well thats exactly what my husby and I did!
A couple weeks ago while K and L were away at church camp, husby and I took advantage of the alone time and had a summer date. You might be saying, “Well, why did you have a date if you were home alone?” This is my thought, sometimes you need to do things that you don’t normally do. Take advantage of having a night alone and go somewhere or do something together to laugh and have fun.
If I stayed home, this is what would have happened……
1) I would have cooked dinner
2) Then I would have cleaned up the kitchen
3) After taking the kitchen towels I just used to the laundry room, I would notice the laundry piling up and automatically started laundry
4) Of course the dryer would have been full of dry clothes so I would have to fold them and put them away.
Do you catch my drift? There is always something at home that needs to be done and there would have been alone time alright, but it would be me alone doing housework and the husby alone doing whatever :/ Not a very romantic night in my book!
So we chose to a have a date night at our local aquatic park instead! I think it was a definite win-win for me!
I know, I know, aquatic parks can be expensive, especially if your whole family is in tow. If my family of four takes a day to enjoy the park, we leave spending no less than $50. Ekkk That is a chunk out of our weekly budget. But out local water park offers “family nights” certain days of the week from 5-8 pm. Perfect time for us, and the best thing is its only $3 a person on those nights! SCORE!
So I put swimsuit on, packed the sunscreen and beach towels and we were ready to get our swim on! Our Aquatic Park just opened last year. It’s not extremely big but they do have an awesome lazy river I love to float on!
You would think with it being family night that it would be extremely over crowded. But that wasn’t the case. In fact, we got lounge chairs right away, laid our towels on them, and because it was so hot decided to get in the lazy river right away.
After floating for quite sometime, we headed back to our lounge chairs to relax. And you know what was amazing, no kiddo’s yelling, “Mom watch me slid!”, or “Mom I’m starvinggg.” for the hundredth time, or worrying that your kids have drowned while the lifeguard wasn’t watching. Yes, I’m one of those paranoid moms :/
After relaxing, I decided I was starvingggg! LOL So off we went to the concession stand to see how much junk food we could find! No judgement, its Date Night!
Yum! Pretzels with cheese, corn dogs and Pina Colada Slush Puppies! This is the life! And we only spent $6 for food!
After we ate, we went back to play. Husby even talked me into going down the slids! It must be love, because I’m not a slid kinda girl (:
Overall it was a great night! And really, 3 hours at a water park is long enough for me. But it was a great time to relax and be with the husby. And all together we only spent $12! Wow! Cheap Date huh!
I encourage you to check out your local aquatic parks and pools. See what specials they have going on! Remember as long as you are having fun together, thats all that matters. And I got a nice tan as a bonus (:
