Zucchini in excess!!! Freeze it!!

If you have a garden chances are you have excess zucchini.

Did you know you could just slice it up, blanch it and freeze it??
Then in the dead of winter when the snows a fallin' pull it
out and enjoy some garden zucchini!
Fried in a tiny bit of olive oil... Yum!!!

Check this link for more details or just do a
simple search for freezing zucchini.
I read that unblanched zucchini will last 4-6 months
while blanched will last 10-12.

Of course don't forget to shred some for the
WONDERFUL Zucchini bread.

Oh and don't forget to leave the peel on!!
It's got the good stuff!

What's you favorite way of eating zucchini??

Ranch Dressing Recipe.. NO HFCS!!

Have you ever looked at the
ingredients of your salad dressing??

Besides having about 40 of them it includes
high fructose corn syrup (3rd ingred.)

Why they have to put all that junk in our food is beyond me...
But the good news.... We don't have to buy it!!!!

Here is a easy, quick recipe for Ranch dressing from
Heavenly Homemakers.
I love her site and have been getting soooo many
recipes from her!!

I tried the dressing this week and it's a keeper!
I even put it in our mashed potatoes last night!!

Anyone else sick of HFCS
in ALL our food?!?!?!?

I've been working on HFCS for around 4 months and
I'm excited to say that we're about 90% HFCS FREE!!

Sign Up Saturday...

Welcome to Sign-Up Saturday!
If you are having a giveaway on your blog, link up below!!
Link directly to your giveaway page. Please make sure it's family friendly!
***
Also if you've found a good deal or a freebie

link up for that too. That way we don't miss any great deals!!

Have a great weekend!

Wordless Wednesday!!! Garden Salad!

I LOVE Summertime Produce!!

Everything on this plate came directly from our garden!!
Including....
Lettuce, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, and peas.
I guess the sprouts were actually grown in the house!

We are soooo blessed to
have an abundant garden!!!

Does anyone have an idea of what to do with excessive
cucumbers that does not involve pickling them???
I'd love to preserve them for the winter!!

$60. Gift Certificate Giveaway!!!

Danielle at the Gaerte Gang is having another giveaway!!

This one is for a $60. gift certificate!!
Gotta love that!

Hurry and go here to enter!

Sign Up Saturday...

Welcome to Sign-Up Saturday!
If you are having a giveaway on your blog, link up below!!
Link directly to your giveaway page. Please make sure it's family friendly!
***
Also if you've found a good deal or a freebie

link up for that too. That way we don't miss any great deals!!

Have a great weekend!

Garden Update!!

The rain has stopped but thankfully it keeps growing!!

Here through June we have been getting some serious rain...
But in July someone shut off the water!!

I'm hopeful the forecast is right and we get some today!!

Part of my corn didn't come up the first time so I replanted it.
That's why some of it is much shorter!
The taller stalks have big corn cobs on them!
My son, Malachi, is so excited

I've been able to eat a few cherry tomatoes and the
Roma's are looking good and loaded!!

I Pray the tomato worms don't visit!!

The potatoes plants are dying and getting
ready for us to enjoy some yummy potatoes!

Oh my, what can I say about the zucchini...
It's large, In charge, and Taking over!!!

Poor beans getting bullied by the zucchini!!

Here's a tally so far.... I've gotten several cherry tomatoes, about 15 cucumbers, around 8 zucchini, tons of lettuce, 4 bowls of green beans, 2 bunches of broccoli (more ready), a couple bags of peas, and 9 big bags of carrots.

I've gotten a whole lot more by July than I did last year!! The work of is really paying off and my freezer is going to be really full of yummy veggies!!

Leave a link, I'd love to see your garden!!
What have you been harvesting???

Giveaway!!!

If you're looking to enter a great giveaway
go visit Danielle at the Gaerte Gang here and check
out her great giveaway!!

Ends July 23

Awesome Granola Recipe!!

I found an AWESOME granola recipe the whole
family LOVES!!! You can even make it into granola bars!

We eat this in place of breakfast cereal
and/or just a snack!

I love it because it's fortified with wheat germ and flax!
I figured out that it has around 6.5 grams
of fiber per 1/2 cup serving!
WOWOWOWOWO!!!

Mix in bowl...
4 cups quick rolled oats
1 cup wheat germ
1/3 cup flax seed (ground)
1/2 - 3/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1-2 cups mini chocolate chips (opt.)

other options (I don't use these)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup almonds

In another bowl mix
1/3 cup canola oil (maybe I'll try applesauce next time!)
1/4 honey (I've been using maple syrup)
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup water


Then put wet ingredients
into the dry and mix well.

Preheat oven to 300* and spray pans with cooking spray

For this batch I spread 1/2 onto
a cookie pan loosely for cereal

and pressed the other 1/2 of the batch into a 8 1/2 x 11 baking dish.
press firmly to make granola bars.

bake the loose batch until lightly brown on the bottom.
around 25 minutes for me. Lightly stir one time

For the bars in the baking dish leave in a little longer
around 35 minutes. Until lightly brown around edges.
Once the bars cool, just cut and store sealed!

Keep an eye on it since all ovens vary.
I use a 30 year old oven!!
You can see the original recipe here!!

Have a great week!

Sign Up Saturday...

Welcome to Sign-Up Saturday!
If you are having a giveaway on your blog, link up below!!
Link directly to your giveaway page. Please make sure it's family friendly!
***
Also if you've found a good deal or a freebie

link up for that too. That way we don't miss any great deals!!

Have a great weekend!

Quick and Easy Summer Pizza

Are your kids tired of the same
ol' pb&j, mac and cheese, and leftovers for lunch?!?!

If so try this!

Take a piece of bread (I use homemade, any should work)
toast it in the toaster.

Spread some pizza sauce on it.
Pizza Sauce recipe..
1 can tomato sauce (8oz)
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
mix and serve
(double for more)

Add toppings... my son loves pepperoni

Top with a little cheese.

Put in microwave for about 35 seconds
or until cheese is melted!

I can't tell you how many times my son told me how
much he LOVES the pizzas!
Simple and easy and since I load my bread is loaded with flax
and wheat bran it's even fairly healthy!!

He's a tough kid to feed so I was
super excited that he loved this!!

What's your favorite lunch time meal?????

"Staycation" Pics!!

Last week we camped at my parents house for
our family "staycation" this year!

We're planning on going to Disney at the end of January so
we decided we needed to go cheap this year.

Turns out it was a really great time!
You definitely don't need to spend a lot of $$
to have a great time!!

Here's some pictures!

I just love this picture!!

The kids (especially Micah) lived in the hot tub, that is
when they weren't in my sister's pool!

We went to the zoo and
had a picnic one day!

Pa had lots of fireworks and Malachi
(my 11 yr. old "the Pyro")
lit most if them off!

Sunday morning we didn't go to church so the kids
had a church service. Malachi preached, my nephew led
prayer, and the girls led singing! They all did an awesome job
and had so much fun doing it!

The girls also taught Sunday School class for the younger
ones! I see some new teachers in our future!

We also went biking and hung
out a lot at my sister's pool.

The 4 days went really quick of course!

So what's your summer vacation plans??????

Menards 6-27

4 free after rebate items this
week at Menards!

This ad is good through July 11

Interior Flat paint -- FREE after $11.00 Rebate -- limit 5

Window squeegee -- FREE after $3.00 Rebate -- limit 2

Genius Mop -- FREE after $4.00 Rebate -- limit 2

Shopper's Bag -- FREE after .98 cent Rebate -- limit 10

Other Deals
Square or level -- .99 cents after $3.00 Rebate -- limit 2 total

Insect Repellent -- .99 cents after $2.00 Rebate -- limit 3

Garbage bags -- .99 cents

House Wash -- .99 cents after $7.00 Rebate -- limit 2

Transplanter -- .99 cents after $1.00 Rebate -- limit 2

Alkaline Batteries (48 pack)-- $6.99 after $4.00 Rebate -- limt 2

Microfiber Towel (8 pack)-- .99 cents after $3.00 Rebate -- limit 2

*****
When you purchase the freebies, you must purchase an additional $10. of non-rebated items per transaction to qualify for the rebate. You can get as many freebies as you want per transaction with only one $10. additional purchase. ((**You can get a $10. Gift card if you don't need anything right now!**)) Your rebate will come in the form of a Merchandise Check. Which means you must spend it at Menards, (I just use mine for more freebies!)

***

It's been reported that you do not have to spend the $10. and you will still get your rebate. Since the ad says you're supposed to I still think we should as to not take advantage of the program. You can use your own judgement! Thanks for letting us know!

******

You do not need to purchase any additional $$ if you are only getting the rebated items that are not free.

**********

To learn all about Menards and how to send in

their rebates go here!

Just leave a comment if you have a question

or see another good deal!