Taste and see Thursday

Today is definitely a soup day. I am going to share one of my favorite and good for you soups. I just made this soup for the first time this winter. I have made it now over 7 times in like 2 months. My husband was not much of a soup person, but this winter I have made him one. He now is way burnt out on soups. As I have stated before, it's so easy and it is such a great thing to have for leftovers or for me for lunch. So this soup is my mom's recipe for vegetable beef soup. Growing up my mom was one of those super cooks, she I think fed us homemade mash potatoes like at least 2 times a week. In fact, I didn't even know there was such a thing called instant potatoes until I was a freshman at college and wondered why the cafeteria potatoes tasted so bad. As a kid, this soup was not my favorite. The reason is because it was healthy and had that beef stuff in it, I'm not a big chunk meat person.

Now in my thrifty thirties I like this soup. It's #1 good for you, #2 economical, #3 easy if you plan ahead. I picked this soup this week because I made it just yesterday for a new mommy. I also made if for an old mommy as well who had a busy week with high school games everyday this week. It was fun to do, and my husband remember from earlier didn't want the soup for his supper (I burnt him out). It's funny because another friend, Alisha (who I made this soup for her in December when she had a baby) made this soup yesterday too, so it was only fitting to post this soup for all you to have and make. This is a good soup to freeze too, and has lots of leftovers.

Vegetable Beef Soup

1 pkg Stew Meat

1pkg onion soup Mix

Cook this over night in crock pot. Fill Crock pot up with lots of water

In the morning, or whenever you want ( I have programmable crockpot)

Dump into soup pan the broth. Bring it to a boil with 2 stalks of celery chopped up how you like it, 1/2 onion, 3-5 Carrots cut up and 3-5 potatoes. Cook for like 30 minutes or until tender. Add Meat cooked. Add 1 can corn, 1 can green beans, 1 can peas ( all drained). Add 1 can tomato juice ( I use 2qts) 1 can Rotel.

Hints from Tara the not pro-

That is it folks, it's that easy. I add lots of pepper to mine because pepper is awesome. I usually add 5 carrots because I like the way it looks and tastes in my soup. I slice my carrots in thin circles. I like to chop my celery and onion up, the pampered food chopper rocks at this and is such fun to do. I like to cut my potatoes up small. I like this soup as it has so much into it... chopping, cooking overnight and the anticipation of the next morning waking up to such delightful smell, I like the whole peeling process of the foods and just everything. This is a fun soup to make. So let me know when you make it. Be sure to buy lots of crackers it's yummy in it! My family likes crackers, in fact... my kids eat soup with their crackers.. they really just like that part best.

I'm removing some hats!

Well I'm not really a big hat wearer. In fact I'd rather wear a visor when it's super duper hot outside. Today though I'm really not talking about hats literally. I think I wear too many hats (aka : jobs or volunteer activities I do, all unpaid of course) My husband thinks I have the most unpaid jobs of anyone he knows.


So I feel led to take off some of those hats I wear, lay them down and put my effort into what I'm really called to do. It's so easy to say "Yes" to this or "Yeah, I can do that once a month commitment". Then somehow I end up being the chairperson of this, the secretary of that and even the chaplain. Yikes how did that happen? I know, it is nice to be involved and I am not praying about what I should really do. Don't get me wrong, organizations need help and good people to run them. Right now in my life I'm trying to set boundaries and live a life pleasing to Jesus. There is a powerful message I've been studying this week in Psalm 127:1-2, " If the Lord doesn't build the house, the builders are working for nothing. If the Lord doesn't guard the city, the guards are watching for nothing."

The message I've got about that verse this week is that all labor spent on ANYTHING God himself has not built is in vain. I definitely will not just leave all the things I am doing empty handed, but I'm no longer going to do a job that I'm not called to do. As Beth Moore would be so proud that I am not just "eating the seed, but sowing the seed, and listening/ doing". I want to pour my life into meaningful things like my children, family and church. I'm excited to feel the peace I already feel, the stillness that has awakened my soul and that I can and will do what God has called me to do.

I am thankful!

I am so Thankful!!!


1. I am thankful for so much, for this day many years ago my husband was born into the world... Yeah.. I am thankful for Him!

2. I am thankful for my faith, for that small voice that leads me and comforts me.

3. I am thankful for my children, both completely different and yet both complete me and I love being their mom. They are truly a blessing.... I can think straight right now as they are sleeping.. haha.

4. I am so thankful for encouragement this week from a class I attended on purity... wow lots to think about and I needed it.

5. I am thankful that I'm starting to feel like an athlete again. Not going to the Olympics folks, but I am finding balance and contentment in that area. I love this training process, probably so much more than any event I do.

6. I am so thankful for the gift of friendship.. I'm so sanguine to the bone and I love people. I really love all my friends.. You are the best and a major blessing in my life right now.

7. I'm so thankful for my new bible.. it's the NLT and it makes things come alive and easy to understand and well I really enjoy it.

8. I'm thankful for the one day last week where it was warm outside.. I love knowing what is coming in the next couple months (spring) and as our little trees are doing their sleepy dance soon it will be warm and I love seeing all the new growth of spring and all the trees, flowers blossom for us. (BTW- my iris' are coming up, someone forgot to tell them it's January)

9. I am thankful for down time this week, good workouts and taco pizza!!!

Taste and see Thursday

Hello0000000000000 I'm back! Yes, I love recipes and yes, I love to blog. But lately, I've been trying out lots of new things and lack of computer time for the blog has been pretty dim lately. I have been cooking and taking care of my family though so I should get an award huh?



One thing I've managed to this entire Fall/ Winter is make a soup once a week. I really never intended to do it, but economically speaking it works well and leftovers are usually great, Plus that means I do not have to cook everyday and come up with different ideas. So today I'm going to post my friend Heather's soup. She and I are new friends, well not really. We knew each other in high school, she was one year younger than me. Now I think she likes that she is older than me. It's funny though because I always thought of her as sweet and a nice person in high school but as a typical high schooler I stayed within my class friends. Well Heather and I go to the same church and we both have one boy and girl, and they are both close in ages to play. We both have the same last name now, but we are not related, we both got married on the same day/ same year in the same town. Our birthdays are one week apart, and we happen to go to the same hairdresser that only a few people even know about because this person has no advertising.... How strange huh? I guess this means we are suppose to be friends. Well it's fun now to brag on a friend on this Thursday recipe day so I guess this means I can brag on Heather.

One thing I appreciate about Heather is her genuineness/ realness. What you see is what you get, no pretending to be someone she isn't. I like that quality in friends, and I think once Heather is your friend she is very loyal and will be for life.

One thing I appreciate about Heather is she is always asking our family to do things, like go out to eat, have us over and it always involves food. Recently we've been talking about exercise, but we know food so we stick to doing things involving food. Haha! This recipe I'm posting is a great soup you can eat on a cold winter's day and if you have lots left it freezes beautifully.. whatever that means. I did freeze it and it tasted great. Thanks Heather for your friendship and all the great laughs we have with you... or maybe at you. Just kidding!!

Baked Potato Soup
By Heather

4 large baking potatoes
2/3 cup butter or margarine
2/3 cup flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper ( I didn't have this so I used black)
6 cups of milk
8 oz sour cream
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
10 bacon strips, cooked & crumbled
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Peel potatoes, then wrap in foil and bake at 350* for 65-75 minutes. Cool completely then cube. In large saucepan melt butter; stir in flour, salt, pepper, some onions & bacon pieces until smooth. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat and whisk in sour cream. Add potatoes. Garnish with green onions, bacon & cheese.

It's Snowing!

It's Snowing out and as I reflect on this beautiful snow while all the kiddos are down stairs making a big mess, ( at least it's quiet up stairs). I am kinda in awe of how white it is and how beautiful. I am reminded that Jesus makes us whiter than snow. That it is His blood, what he did, he takes away our sin and washes us white than snow. He makes alll things new. From my viewpoint this snow is pretty white, yet I'm sure far from perfect. I do know someone who does make things new and perfect. I'm so glad I am His Beloved and he loves me. I like this little quote from Beth Moore, " I love Jesus so much. He is the ultimate Prince Charming to every woman, especially the one who forgot she was Cinderella."

Remember that you are Cinderella and you are a princess in the eyes of our King... remember your his daughter princess.

Much love to you all!

I am thankful!

Wow my first post for 2009, seems like it's bee awhile since I've last posted. I'm going to put up some pictures soon of the holidays and all the fun activities that December brings.

1. I am thankful for a relaxing 2 weeks with the family. There were times I feel we were together lots and we needed our space, but now that we all are going back to a schedule tomorrow, I'm kinda sad and will miss all the noise in the house.

2. I'm thankful for this new year and all the exciting things that will happen this year. One being trying this half marathon, and all the new little changes in the kids and seeing their growth. I'm excited for what both kids are doing and how each stage is so different but so much fun.

3. I'm excited to learn more in all areas for this 2009.

4. I'm thankful to God for giving me so much and for His giving of His son.

5. On a shallow side, I'm thankful for my new running gear and my favorite lil gloves that have a spot for wiping snot.... gross I know but it's so nice that some company thought of it!!!! On a real non shallow side I'm thankful for all those who are encouraging me in this goal and for all those who are joining me.. Yeah!!

So what are you thankful for?