Perfect Pasta

As I was choosing a pasta recipe out of a cookbook to make for dinner, last minute, I realized that I did not have even close to the ingredients on hand. Taking a closer look I realized that this recipe was so basic that I could virtually switch out EVERYTHING in the entire recipe and still it would be perfect so, that's the story of this recipe, so aptly named.

Preheat oven 400 degrees. Place empty casserole dish in oven to warm.

Start with your choice of pasta (rotini, penne, macaroni, bow-tie,  etc.)
8 oz. of pasta, cooked per package directions, keep hot.
*Do not discard pasta water, it will be added later so the pasta does not dry out.

Cook 2-3 C of protein in large saute pan, meduim heat, 1 T Olive Oil.
Protein ideas: 4-8 slices cooked bacon, cubed chicken breasts, cubed steak, ground beef,  Italian Sausage, etc. Remove from pan, keep warm.

Add 1/2 C onion (I prefer sweet) *Optional: 3 cloves diced garlic, to pan and 2 T butter. Add 3 C vegetables
Vegetable ideas: Butternut squash (*longer cook time), broccoli,  brussels sprouts, asparagus, green beans, tomatoes, canned tomatoes, ANY yummy vegetable or vegtable combination.
Cook approximately 3-5 minutes depending on size on vegetable choice.

* Vegetarian Option:1 can drained and rinsed beans

Add protein to pan
Add 1 T fresh chopped spice, dried can be used
Spice ideas: Sage, Basil, Thyme, Italian Blend, Mexican Blend
Salt and Pepper to taste
Stir and heat for 2 more minutes for tastes to meld

*Optional: toss 1/4 C pine nuts in dry pan to toast. Remove from heat and cool

1/2 C shredded or shaved cheese
Cheese ideas: Parmesan, Cheddar, Guyere

Mix pasta, vegetable mixture with 1 T Olive Oil or 3 T butter. Mix in aprox 1 C hot pasta water,  add toasted Pine Nuts into warmed casserole dish. Top with parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

More varieties:
Add 3/4 cream/milk heated with 2T Butter and 1/2 C parmesan cheese to pasta for a cream sauce.
Add 1 C tomato sauce for a primavera dish.

 Make adjustments per size of family and tastes. With different additions this recipe can be rotated again and again without anyone noticing, making dinner creative and fun!

Behold my Couch

I am trying to sell my sofa on Craig's List without any luck, it has been posted for almost a week and no one has come to see the poor thing. This got me to think why. I think it's a beautiful sofa, I mean I had it custom designed from the structure on up, I hand picked a light Ivory fabric that has the most perfect floral tapestry. I dreamed of it completed and how to make it the best it could be. I got them to swap out half the back pillows and cover them in a tan suede for a more comfy look.... it is the perfect sofa. So, why no takers? Why doesn't anyone else see what I see?

We hear of that age old saying, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder" but what if beauty is in the eye of the creator? Am I so in love with my sofa because I behold it's beauty or because I created it's beauty? Hmm. I think the second answer is more like it. As the creator of my sofa, I place an intrinsic value on it, because of what it means to me. It is a dream fulfilled, every time I see it, I am reminded of the process it took, the shop I went to off Main Street in Oregon, and waiting forever for it to be finished. I am filled with pride that I dreamed of something so beautiful and I am immensely grateful for the opportunity to have done it.

So it goes with our Heavenly Father. He is our Creator and He looks at us through the lens of perfection, He sees beauty in us, His creation, because of what we mean to Him. He loves you and me and He has placed a value on us that was worth more than we will ever know. He dreams of us and for us. He so carefully designed our structure to handle whatever weight we must bear. He specially choose the right fabric we would need to show us off to the world. He arranged our pillows so we would be unique and different from all the other sofas, maybe even odd. We didn't do anything to deserve this any more than my sofa did, it is love, live in it! Now go curl up in your favorite sofa and always remember you are loved.

Love you~Misty

Homemade All Purpose Cleaner

This Cleaner cleans up amazingly, leaving no residue behind only a fresh fragrant scent of your choice! I change the scents to match the season i.e. spring- citrus, summer-lavender, fall-cinnamon, winter-pine. Change it up however you like.

1 funnel

1 clean durable spray bottle

2 c White distilled vinegar

1 T antiseptic essential oil

(thyme, sweet orange, lemon, pine, rose, eucalyptus, cinnamon, rosemary, lavender, tea tree, etc.)

2 c hot water

2 t liquid detergent (dish soap)

* Add dish soap last so it doesn't foam up on you. I prefer unscented soap unless you are omitting the essential oils... it works without the oils too!

Add ingredients in order as listed with funnel into spray bottle and give a good shake. You will need to shake before each use as the mixture settles. Playing with the ratios is completely up to you, if you like more scent, or prefer less vinegar - go for it, it's your house!

Everything is cost effective except the essential oils can be pricey, check for sales at your local health food store or online. Storage is not a problem, the bottle will last you as long as a regular bottle of cleaner.

Lunch Box Ideas

I would LOVE some new lunch box ideas for school. It is already the first week of school and we are Hum-drum about the old ones, sad, I know! Who has some clever and yummy tummy fillers?

~Misty

The Practical Life

What exactly does that mean... "Practical"? Webster was a huge help in picking apart the word with me and my mind went racing away, as usual, with new interpretations. Here is some food for thought on The Practical Life.

practical, adjective, noun. adj.

1. having to do with action or practice rather than thought or theory. I find it interesting that theory and practical are in opposition to one another, interesting just because I never thought of it before. We all have our beloved theories on life, parenting or how to boil water, but do we practice them? Do we hold onto these theories more as impressive thoughts to be heard by others but not seen? Some of us have become "arm chair Christians", have we not? Quite possibly the difference that lies between a Practical Life and a Theoretical Life is one that has a track record, a life where one's theories are being tried out, tested and lived. When I do not act on my beliefs, how do I know how real they are or if they will 'hold water'? God speaks about such a life in James 2: 14-17. A theory that is put into action, over and over again is practiced and made stronger... it seems like a beautifully designed cycle. The theory gets stronger as it is practiced, the action is refined as it is practiced... The Practical Life!

2. fit for actual practice.. I love this definition! I will exchange the word "fit" for "equipped" and trust you won't mind. I am a Certified Kolbe Advisor (check out www.kolbe.com, contact me for more, I seriously passionate!) I am 100% convinced everyone is uniquely designed to fulfill the desires God has placed in our hearts, this is His will for our lives and is one of the most exciting things to grasp in our entire lives. As we allow ourselves to dream and have the courage to step out towards those dreams, we practice living how we are meant to live. If you are a housewife, you are equipped. If you are a COO, you are equipped. If you are retired, divorced, a grandparent, single, unemployed... YOU are equipped! Whatever you are doing or are going to do, God has given you the necessary items in your "tool kit" to be successful, satisfied and overwhelmingly happy as we practice them. How do I know this? Eph 2:10 - "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good things, which God created beforehand that we should walk in them." Oh, how I love the promises that reassure us for our Practical Life!

3. useful. Life! Your life, my life, is useful. What we do, every day IS useful. When we are practicing our purpose, when we are using what God has given us (tools, skills, theories, etc) to do his will. Col 3:23-24 reminds us that as we do these things for the Lord, and forget that it's for people, our blessing comes from the Lord. Geez, it is hard to see sometimes, isn't it? Among the laundry, the messes, the problems and the noise there often isn't a break, much less a warm fuzzy from Heaven saying "Hey, Great Job on that chicken! It rocked and it was worth hand picking the basil and lemons in 112 degree heat, I could really taste it and ..... THANK YOU!!!!!" .... not going to happen. But, I'm not waiting for it either because my satisfaction is not in the thank you, it's in the lemon. What? Yup, it's in knowing that I am useful. Because of the way God made me, personally, I know that I feel satisfied when I create. One way I get a lot of joy is from creating meals for my family - I just do, I can't explain it, it's instinctual. As I follow my God given desire, I find myself practicing my skill I am having a great time doing it because I am also being useful with my creations... now, tell me how cool God is!

The same is true for you. The Practical Life you lead is the actions you take, not only those brilliant thoughts you have. You have been created with YOU in mind, perfectly fitted and equipped with a tool box for your real construction site of life. You are useful in your Practical Life as you use your natural instincts for your work, you will experience true freedom and satisfaction in doing things as you were meant to, for God's glory. So have at it, Ladies and remember the Lemons!

Love you~ Misty