Saturday, December 26, 2020

Favorite Recipes for the Week of December 20th

We did Thanksgiving dinner all over again for Christmas with all the usual combinations of leftovers, so there were just a couple of recipes we had for each meal earlier in the week.  Some were repeats of things we’ve had and featured before, so I’m only sharing new recipes with you here.


TOP FAVORITE BREAKFAST:

Egg ‘n’ Bacon SandwichThis is just like an Egg McMuffin, so it’s always a hit with my Crew.  It’s my go-to meal when I’m short on time but have the ingredients on hand.  I can whip it up in just a few minutes and be on my way.  I serve this with a cup of fresh cantaloupe on the side for a total of 266 calories.

Egg ‘n’ Bacon SandwichesPhoto Credit: Taste of Home


TOP FAVORITE LUNCH:

Shredded Beef Barbecue.  This was so easy to make in the crockpot, and it made so many servings on fluffy Kaiser buns from the bakery!  This lasted us for several days of lunches.  I served it with a salad with light dressing, a pickle spear, and a medium apple for a total of 385 calories.



TOP FAVORITE DINNER:

Easy Swiss Steak. My husband really liked this simple meal.  Cubed steak is generally tough, so simmering this for so long on the stove made it really tender and enjoyable.  The flavor reminded me of chicken cacciatore, only with beef instead of chicken.  I served this over white rice with green beans on the side for a total of 358 calories.

Photo Credit: Taste of Home


I had a lovely Christmas with my husband and kids.  It continues to be an odd year of celebrations because of the ongoing pandemic, but I’m thankful that all of my kids are still at home this year so we can all be together.

I hope you all had a Merry Christmas!

Saturday, December 19, 2020

Favorite Recipes for the Week of December 13th

We really had some great choices this week.  Our meals were all so good!  My husband got a new-to-us used car from Carvana last weekend, so we were busy getting that squared away and trying it out.  I hope you find some great new recipes to try from our menu for the week!


TOP FAVORITE BREAKFAST:

Italian Garden FrittataThis was a really tasty egg dish, and we both felt the flavors were even better in the leftovers as each day passed.  I served this with a Peach Smoothie recipe we’ve had before and some fresh blueberries for a total of 324 calories. 

Italian Garden FrittataPhoto Credit: Taste of Home


TOP FAVORITE LUNCH:

Lime Jalapeno Turkey Wrap.  Wow!  This was a total winner.  You might be thinking that a wrap is a wrap…they’re all pretty similar.  But this was loaded with flavors.  We did note that the recipe was void of any kind of condiment, so I added a drizzle of light ranch dressing to each wrap, and it was the perfect cooling complement to the heat of the jalapeno.  This was SO good!  Instead of shredded turkey, I bought a slab of cooked oven-roasted turkey breast from Aldi and cut it into cubes.  It was perfect.  We will definitely be having this again and again!  I served it with some white corn tortilla chips and salsa for dipping and 1/2 cup of baby carrots for a total of 409 calories.  Yum!

Lime Jalapeno Turkey Wraps
Photo Credit: Taste of Home


TOP FAVORITE DINNER:

Southwest Pasta Bake.  My husband really enjoyed this dish for its unique combination of flavors.  It’s like a cross between Italian and Mexican.  It’s very tasty in an unexpected way and is actually very good!  I served it with steamed broccoli for a total of 328 calories.  My husband enjoyed it so much that he actually took some of the leftovers for lunch one day!

Southwest Pasta Bake
Photo Credit: Taste of Home


The top favorite dinner was a difficult choice, so I have to give honorable mention to these delicious Two-Cheese Turkey Enchiladas.  My husband and I really enjoyed the creamy filling.  They were easy to make, and the leftovers lasted us several days.  I actually had enough filling to make more servings than were listed, so this is a great dish for feeding a crowd.  I served it with some shredded lettuce, tomato, and light sour cream on top and a salad with light dressing on the side for a total of 329 calories.


Photo Credit: Taste of Home

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TOP FAVORITE DESSERT:

Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies.  I only made one dessert this week.  I had intended to make more, but I was super busy and never got around to it.  But I’m happy to share this delicious recipe with you.  These soft little dome-shaped cookies are almost cake-like, and the chocolate chips are quite plentiful.  They were a hit with my family.  I used a 1.5 Tbsp. cookie scoop leveled off to measure out my dough, and it made a few extras over and above the suggested serving count.  I think they came out to about 50 calories a piece, so we could indulge in a few of these without a lot of guilt.  It’s also a great way to use up over-ripe bananas instead of throwing them out!  The recipe came together in a flash.

Photo Credit: Taste of Home


That’s it for now!  I will have fewer recipes to choose from next week since I’ll be doing a traditional Thanksgiving-type menu for Christmas, complete with all the leftovers for the weekend.  I hope you all enjoy your holiday, even if it’s without your extended family. 

Happy cooking, and stay safe!

Saturday, December 12, 2020

Favorite Recipes for the Week of December 6th

I have some great recipes for you this week!  Choosing was *really* hard.  We had some real winners across the board, so narrowing down the top recipes was a real challenge.  I hope you enjoy the ones we chose!


TOP FAVORITE BREAKFAST:

Sausage Breakfast WrapMy husband and young son really, really enjoyed these, and they were very filling.  I served them with 1/2 cup fresh blueberries on the side for a total of 318 calories. Here’s a photo from Taste of Home.

Sausage Breakfast Wraps


TOP FAVORITE LUNCH:

Spicy Buffalo Chicken Wrap.  If you enjoy buffalo chicken wings and blue cheese, then you’ll enjoy all the same flavors in these convenient lunch wraps.  There was quite a bit of chicken in these, and I served them with celery sticks with ranch dressing on the side and 1/2 cup red seedless grapes for a total of 304 calories!  Here’s a photo from Taste of Home.

Spicy Buffalo Chicken Wraps


TOP FAVORITE DINNER:

Glazed Asian Pork Medallions and Stir-Fried CarrotsI have to admit that I was skeptical of this recipe when I saw that it contained orange marmalade, but I selected the spreadable fruit-type of marmalade for less sugar, and I was amazed at the authentic Asian flavor of this pork!  It was perfect.  I kept thinking that in the future, I would use this same glaze recipe for Orange Chicken, because using the marmalade is a whole lot faster and easier than grating fresh orange peel to combine with fresh orange juice!  Anyway, I served this with the Stir-Fried Carrots and a buttered roll on the side for a total of 386 calories.  This meal came together quickly and was a real winner with my crew.

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I just have to give honorable mention to this fabulous sandwich we had for lunches.  It’s called a Baked Deli Focaccia Sandwich.  Check out the picture of the whole thing when I took it out of the oven!  It got slices up into wedges, but this thing was as tasty as a sandwich gets.  I stopped by Panera Bread to get a fresh-baked Asiago Cheese Focaccia loaf on which to make this sandwich, so that was the basis of flavor in the bread itself.  It was incredible!  My husband said he found himself looking forward to this sandwich each day, and the bread held up well and didn’t get soggy as leftovers on subsequent days.  We reheated it in the air fryer.


There’s only one more shopping weekend left before Christmas, so get your meal plan organized with some of these great recipes and use your time wisely so you’ll have extra time to get out and finish up your Christmas shopping before the big crowd rush next weekend. 

Enjoy, and have a great week!

Saturday, December 5, 2020

Favorite Recipes for the Week of November 29th

This was a week full of some really wonderful recipes!  I hope you’ll find something great you can’t wait to try!


TOP FAVORITE BREAKFAST:

Garden FrittataThis was loaded with a variety of veggies, but with a combination of feta, mozzarella, and parmesan cheeses, the cheesy flavor permeated the dish and helped to hide all of those nutritious veggies.  It was absolutely delicious, and I would definitely make it again!  I served it with a cup of fresh pineapple or cantaloupe for a total of 326 calories.  Here’s a photo from Taste of Home.

Garden Frittata


TOP FAVORITE LUNCH:

Tuna Artichoke Melt.  This was really, really tasty!  We were both pleasantly surprised at just how good this was.  I could eat this any day of the week, as it was very flavorful!  I prepped these in advance for a couple of days and found it was easier to toast the muffin in the morning and then just warm the tuna topping in the microwave, melting the cheese on top, and then plop it onto the English muffin.  So very good!  I served it with 1/3 cup of red grapes for a total of 378 calories.  Here’s a photo from Taste of Home.


TOP FAVORITE DINNER:

Balsamic Seasoned Steak and Colorful Roasted VeggiesThis steak was easy to make, and the balsamic sauce really added so much flavor to this tender meat.  I had never broiled a steak before, and I was surprised that I was able to get it well done without overcooking the outside, but it actually worked out great.  I served it with a lovely array of oven-roasted vegetables that were a great complement to the main dish.  I love any veggies roasted in olive oil, rosemary, and salt, so I knew this was going to be good!  I served these two dishes with a small baked potato for a total of 326 calories! 


Choosing a favorite dinner was difficult, because this Chicken Marsala and Savory Asparagus was restaurant-quality delicious!  My youngest son, who is almost 13, absolutely raved about this meal and was happy to have leftovers the following night.  He even asked to have it for lunch!  I was impressed at how good it was, and it was definitely worth the effort of marinating it the night before.  I will happily add this to our rotation in the future!  Even the asparagus was so good, and he surprisingly ate that, too.  I was supposed to serve it with 1/2 cup of white rice, but I totally forgot the rice!  No biggie…it was great just the way it was.  The chicken and asparagus totaled 321 calories.  Here’s a photo from Taste of Home.

Chicken Marsala  Savory Asparagus


I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as we did.  Have a great week!

Saturday, November 28, 2020

Favorite Recipes for the Week of November 22nd

Happy Thanksgiving!  I trust you all had a wonderful time with the families in your own households this week!  It was odd not to have any guests or extended family to share the meal with this year, but I was very blessed to have a special meal with my husband and all of my own children.  My oldest son is 21, so every holiday we share could very well be the last one we’ll share with him while he lives under our own roof.  He doesn’t spend a lot of time at home any more now that he’s been steadily dating someone for over a year, but he made a point to have dinner with us and take a peaceful walk with his mom after the meal before taking off to see his girlfriend, so I was certainly thankful for that!  We all had a wonderful day together.


TOP FAVORITE BREAKFAST:

Egg ‘N’ Bacon SandwichesThe only change I made to this recipe was to use light English muffins so I could use a whole muffin per sandwich for just a few more calories rather than serving it as an open-faced sandwich.  It was delicious!  I could eat these any day of the week and never tire of them.  I served them with some sweet fresh cantaloupe for a total of 266 calories.  Here’s a photo from Taste of Home.
 Egg ‘n’ Bacon Sandwiches


TOP FAVORITE LUNCH:

Vegetable Beef Stew.  My husband enjoyed this lunch so much that he texted me to tell me how good it was.  My young son wasn’t so fond, but I also thought it was very good.  It hid a healthy amount of nutritious butternut squash, as well.  I served it with a small buttered roll and salad with light dressing for a total of 348 calories.  Here’s a photo from Taste of Home.


TOP FAVORITE DINNER:

Mushroom Turkey Tetrazzini.  This tasty dish is an old favorite.  It uses 4 cups of cubed cooked turkey, making it an excellent way to use up leftover turkey from Thanksgiving dinner.  What’s more, it makes 8 servings, so there’s plenty to go around.  I serve this with green beans (or other leftover vegetables) and a salad with light dressing for a total of 362 calories.


That’s it for now!  I had a wonderfully relaxing weekend, completely free of Black Friday shopping for the first time in my married life!  One thing coronavirus has brought to us is a far less busy lifestyle with more quality time to just “be” together.  That’s probably the most positive thing to come out of this crazy, messed up year!  I can’t lie…I’ll be glad to bid farewell to 2020.  But in the interest of focusing on the positive, I’ll share my holiday photos.

Saturday, November 21, 2020

Favorite Recipes for the Week of November 15th

I actually took a night off this week and picked up dinner after ordering online from our favorite Italian restaurant, La Bella Italy.  The portions are generous, so that led to also not having to make lunch the next day.  So although I didn’t make as many new recipes this week, I still have some favorites to share with you.


TOP FAVORITE BREAKFAST:

Ham ‘n’ Cheese Squares and Custard Berry ParfaitThis was a simple ham and swiss combination added to eggs, baked in a square dish, and cut into individual serving squares.  Everybody liked this.  However, I detest caraway seeds almost more than anything else on the planet, so I definitely omitted those.  I think a sprinkle of onion flakes would also add a nice flavor to this, which I’ll probably add next time around.  I also used nonfat Greek yogurt for a punch of extra protein.  I served each square with a Custard Berry Parfait and toast for a total of 305 calories.  The custard and blend of fresh berries (I used strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries, which were all on sale this week) were a nice complement.  I didn’t get a picture of this one, so here are stock photos from Taste of Home.

 


TOP FAVORITE LUNCH:

Taco Salad Wrap.  This recipe made a lot of wraps at one time, which was great.  They were a hit with everyone.  I liked the addition of the crushed baked tortilla chips inside each wrap for a little bit of added texture and flavor.  I added some fat-free sour cream, as well.  The wraps were generously sized and very satisfying.  I served them with some baked tortilla chips and fresh salsa on the side for a total of 438 calories.


TOP FAVORITE DINNER:

Braised Pork Chops and Spanish Rice.  These pork loin chops were so thick, and after browning them on all sides in a skillet, they slow-simmered in water on the stove for about an hour.  They were so moist and tender!  Then the juices were used to make a quick gravy at the end to serve on top.  Delicious!  I served them with the easy Spanish Rice and a salad on the side for a total of 336 calories.  My rice was done before my pork chops were ready, and since my son needed to leave before it was all done, I threw some jalapeno smoked sausage slices in with some of the Spanish rice for him to eat before he left with a sprinkle of cheese on top, and he said that was really good, too.  For the rest of us, it was worth waiting for the chops.  Yum!  My husband was a huge fan. 


Well, it’s Thanksgiving week, and I hope you all enjoy spending time with your families (from your own households, please…you know…pandemic and all).  It will be odd for us to not have guests this year, but 2020 has been a highly unusual year.  I’ll have at least one great recipe next week to share that will help you use up your turkey leftovers, so be on the lookout for that. 

Take care!

Saturday, November 14, 2020

Favorite Recipes for the Week of November 8th

It was unseasonably warm this week in North Texas, so I did less cooking and relied more on leftovers.  Also, our volunteer neighborhood association put together a drive-by catered dinner that was enough for a dinner and lunch for each of us, so I got a nice break from the kitchen this week.  Despite that, I still have some weekly favorites to share with you.

TOP FAVORITE BREAKFAST:

Overnight Yeast Waffles and Homemade Breakfast Patties.  The waffles were just okay…nothing special in terms of flavor.  But I found this thin batter worked best in my waffle stick maker than in my Belgian Waffle Maker.  The batter wasn’t thick enough for that.  I don’t have a standard waffle maker, but the waffle stick maker worked just fine.  It made a lot, which made for quick breakfasts for a few days!  I reheated them in the air fryer each morning, which made them crisp and fresh as if they had just been made.  The sausage patties, however, were out of this world!  My husband raved about them.  The cayenne pepper gave them just enough kick to be noteworthy, and the rich flavor will catch you off guard, considering these are straight ground turkey with no pork whatsoever.  They are very low-calorie, and your family will never know the difference!  I will definitely be making these again and again!  Here are stock photos from Taste of Home.

 


TOP FAVORITE LUNCH:

Ham ‘n’ Northern Bean Soup.  This was originally Ham ‘n’ Chickpea Soup, but considering my husband made me promise I would never serve him chickpeas when we got married, I made a quick substitution with Great Northern Beans instead.  It was wonderful, and he really like this hearty soup!  I used some flavorful smoked spiral ham ends and pieces that I cut up in into little chunks in place of the bland cubed ham you can buy pre-packaged.  It was really good!  I served it with a pepper jack cheese stick and 1/3 cup red grapes for a total of 435 calories.  Yum!  Here’s a photo from Taste of Home.

 


TOP FAVORITE DINNER:

German-Style Short Ribs.  This recipe was a huge surprise to me!  I wasn’t sure what kind of sauce it was going to make, because it had an interesting array of ingredients, including mango chutney (which I had to go to the Indian grocery store to find) and apple cider vinegar.  I thought it was going to be some kind of sweet barbecue sauce, but it was nothing like that.  These cooked all day in the crockpot, and when I removed the lid, poured the grease off the top, and stirred it, the meat literally fell from the bones, making them easy to remove from the pot.  I ended up with a large bowl full of round bones for my dogs to enjoy (making this their favorite recipe, too!), and enough meat for 8 servings since I had a bit more than the recipe had called for.  That only lasted for 2 meals, though, since all my kids were home the first night, and all of them loved this dish!  The slightly sweet sauce lent so much flavor to the meat.  It was delightful!  Even my very picky teenage daughter, who rarely eats anything I made, actually ate this whole meal.  I served it with some buttered egg noodles and a small salad for a total of 449 calories.  I found a giant package of beef short ribs at Sam’s Club for about $5.49/lb. that was the perfect size for this recipe.  Here’s a photo from Taste of Home.


That’s a wrap!  I hope you have a wonderful week and find some time to start your Thanksgiving shopping.

Saturday, November 7, 2020

Favorite Recipes for the Week of November 1st

Thursday, November 5th of this week was our 26th wedding anniversary!  It’s difficult to plan any kind of special outings or activities during a global pandemic, in sharp contrast to last year’s wonderful 25th anniversary extended weekend trip down to Fredericksburg, TX.  But we bought each other flowers and cards, and I planned to make my husband’s favorite dinner…calzones and roasted vegetables…with some Italian-themed appetizers and a tiramisu for dessert.  Thanks, Trader Joe’s, but having everything I needed!


TOP FAVORITE BREAKFAST:

Fajita Frittata.  This was a really hearty and satisfying breakfast, and it was something different from the usual, which I really enjoyed.  It contained everything you’d put into chicken fajitas, but it was stuck inside of a baked egg dish with a layer of cheese melted over the top.  I served it with the salsa on the side for dipping, a Sage Breakfast Patty, a cup of mixed berries, and a slice of wheat toast with jam for a total of 325 calories. 


TOP FAVORITE LUNCH:

Ranch Chicken Salad Sandwich.  This was a delicious sandwich with wonderful flavors and textures.  We all found ourselves looking forward to having it again for a couple of days.  I cooked the chicken ahead of time earlier in the day, so it was ready to prep before bed for some weekday lunches, and the recipe came together really fast.  I served it with some baked potato chips and some fresh pineapple or grapes.  When I packaged it up, I kept the chicken salad filling and toppings beside the bun so it wouldn’t make the bread soggy as it sat in the fridge for a couple of days.  That allowed me to prep a bunch of containers ahead of time. 


TOP FAVORITE DINNER:

Weekday Lasagna.  My husband and I, as well as my 12-year old son, really loved this lasagna.  It was one of the easiest lasagnas I’ve ever made, just because there was no need to buy oven-ready lasagna, yet I did not have to pre-cook the noodles, which are so hard to work with when cooked.  Also, it did not contain any ricotta cheese, which my daughter does not like, and my husband really liked the homemade meat sauce.  I was very happy with this recipe in so many ways!  I also made some roasted Garlic Green Beans on the side.  The recipe called for boiling them, but I roasted mine in the oven, which is how I like them best.  I also served it with either some buttered wheat toast or 1/2 a garlic breadstick on the side for a total of 386 calories.  I loved that I got to enjoy lasagna, my favorite Italian dish, without an overload of calories.


I hope there are some new recipes here that your family will enjoy. 

In other news, I also got to add a new great nephew to my family on Friday.  Welcome to the world, baby Wesley!

Wednesday, November 4, 2020

REVIEW: Bible Unearthed by Drive Thru History® Adventures

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

We’ve always been huge fans of any program from this vendor, so we were really thrilled to be able to review Bible Unearthed by Drive Thru History® Adventures.


WHAT IS IT:?

Product PhotoBible Unearthed is a brand new online video course from Drive Thru History® Adventures.  In fact, it’s so new that it’s not yet available but will be coming very soon!

This program includes a series of 12 video episodes highlighting archaeological discoveries that corroborate people, places, and events in both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible.  It also includes worksheets that contain 5 discussion questions and 1 expository question with a corresponding answer guide, plus“Dig Deeper” articles for further research.

This is a self-paced course, but the suggested pace is to complete one lesson per week over the course of 12 weeks.

This course will be available for just $59.95 with lifetime access.  As an alternative, you can purchase an Adventures All-Access pass to all available Adventures courses for a period of one year for just $119.95.


OUR EXPERIENCE:

This program can be used in various ways to meet your family’s needs.  My last homeschooled student is just 12 years old, so I did not want to use it as curriculum. I actually wanted to use it just for the video content for myself!  I am quite familiar with Drive-Thru History®, particularly since I have previously reviewed both The Gospels and Acts to Revelation in recent years.  I found this program to be an excellent follow-up to those series.

Although I didn’t use the course materials that go along with the episodes, I do want to give a quick overview of what is provided.  The suggested pace is to complete one episode with its corresponding materials each week.  A week’s work could include watching a video episode, completing an optional activity when provided, reading a “Dig Deeper” article and/or doing outside research when provided, re-watching the episode while reviewing the written materials, and completing the worksheet with short answers, comparing the student’s responses with the answer guide.  Grading is optional.  The worksheets and bible readings can be printed for students who prefer to work from hard copies.  The program also suggests that advanced students may want to use a particular book about bible archaeology as a supplemental resource for additional research.  It’s written by Titus Kennedy, who is the featured archaeologist who leads the video episodes alongside Dave Stotts and Randall Niles.  In addition, participants in this course can join the Adventures Community Facebook group to discuss and comment further with others who are using the Adventures courses.

Lesson Text Worksheet Poster
Lesson Text                               Worksheet                Supplemental Material


Each episode lasts about 15 minutes, so it doesn’t require a huge time commitment.  Personally, I found that once I sat down and started watching an episode, it was nearly impossible to stop at just one!  In fact, I think I completed all 12 episodes in just two sittings!  They were just that interesting.  And my 12-year old son wandered in on one of those occasions and ended up watching a couple of episodes with me himself.  He was nearly as fascinated as I was!  This series really draws in your attention like a magnet.

The series begins by discussing what archaeology is, how a site is mapped and documented, and what tools are used.  Then it goes into the impact of archaeology and the kinds of things that can be corroborated with archaeological discoveries.

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Then it goes into the way in which artifacts and archaeological sites either corroborate or dispel information that has been put forth as historical facts, such as in the Bible.

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Next, it talks about what a typical day looks like in the life of an archaeologist and what kinds of activities they do when they are out on a dig site.  Then it goes into what kinds of things are being discovered today.  It takes you through some of the cities from Bible times that are currently being excavated and starts to outline some of the artifacts that correspond to Old Testament places and people.  In addition to excavations, Titus Kennedy talks about some of the forgotten artifacts he’s found in places like museum basements.

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Next, it covers some of the archaeological mysteries that remain…places and objects that are still being sought after, but that have not yet been discovered or verified.  This includes Noah’s Ark, the Ark of the Covenant, and the sites of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Then comes some exciting material…the “top 25” archaeological discoveries pertaining to the bible.  These are itemized in the text in chronological order.  The video goes through some of them and talks more about them.  Here, we get into some of the New Testament correlations. This was my favorite of all of the episodes, as it was so meaty and took viewers on location to some of the sites.  I felt very “wowed” after watching this episode.

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Following that, the series got into how people can become archaeologists, what education is required, and what kinds of jobs they can do in archaeology, and what types of tasks you would perform.  Next, it goes into trends in archaeology.  Here, it talks about some of the fake news out there about finds that supposedly contradict the bible vs. verified finds that corroborate the historical truths in the Bible.  Each of the speakers in the video discusses what brought them to their current level of faith, whether it was that they started out not believing, but archaeology brought them to place of belief, or those that always believed and had their beliefs confirmed by all they learned in archaeology.

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Then it moves onto “weird” discoveries in archaeology.  These include things like the pyramids with discussions of how they were built, ziggurats and what their purpose may have been, an ancient “analog computer” known as the Antikythera Mechanism, and the giant stone heads found on Easter Island.  Then it goes into discoveries that were found accidentally.  These include the Rosetta Stone, the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Xian Terracotta Army, or Venus de Milo.  From teenagers exploring a cave to a farmer finding something unusual in his barn, each of these discoveries were found by ordinary people, not professional archaeologists.

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Finally, the series wraps up in the final episode with some of the sites that have yet to be excavated, including the cities of Bethlehem and Colossae.  The locations are known but have yet to be explored.  Who knows what historical treasures may be found there?  If you were ever going to be motivated to explore the field of archaeology, this might just be the inspiration you need to take that next step!

Course Complete


This course was truly an adventure!  I got to explore so many fascinating places and hear right from the archaeologist himself what it was like to find these great discoveries first-hand.  From the ancient pool of Siloam to the tomb of Jesus, the Bible came to life in a new way for me in these episodes.  I learned so much about how the discoveries of coins, pottery, documents, and inscriptions help to corroborate the ancient leaders, events, and places to the truly historical record we have in the scriptures.  I love that I get lifetime access to this course, because I can definitely see myself watching this series again in the future!  My husband enjoys historical documentaries, as well, so I think he would enjoy watching this, as well.  It’s definitely worth your time, and I would encourage you to take a look! 

See what other Crew members have to say about Bible Unearthed by clicking the banner below.

Saturday, October 31, 2020

Favorite Recipes for the Week of October 25th

It was so cold this week!  It was definitely a good time for soups and stews and the like.  Here are our favorite recipes for the week.


TOP FAVORITE BREAKFAST:

Sage Breakfast Patties.  These homemade sausage patties were delicious!  The lighter blend of 1/3 pork sausage and 2/3 ground turkey with some added spices gave the traditional flavor of pork breakfast sausage without all the fat.  You would never have guessed they contained so much ground turkey!  We were very pleased to enjoy one of these breakfast patties with a couple of slices of bacon, an egg, a slice of toast, and a small box of orange juice for a total of 311 calories!  We ate these for about 4 days and still had some leftover to put in the freezer for another time.  Personally, I stacked everything but the sausage together and folded it over into a half sandwich and enjoyed the sausage on the side.  Yum!  I would definitely make these breakfast patties again.


TOP FAVORITE LUNCH:

Zesty Sloppy Joes.  These were great for a quick and delicious lunch!  I served them with baby carrots, a pickle spear, and a piece of string cheese for a total of 388 calories.  I didn’t take a photo, so here’s a stock photo from the Taste of Home website.

Sloppy Joes for a Crowd


TOP FAVORITE DINNER:

Chicken Mexican Manicotti.  This was an interesting twist on a traditional chicken enchilada!  All the flavors were there, but instead of being rolled up in a corn or flour tortilla, it was stuffed into manicotti shells!  We weren’t sure how to approach it the first night, so we didn’t add toppings that first night.  But after that, we realized it really tasted just the same as a regular enchilada, so we topped the leftovers with traditional toppings like tomatoes, lettuce, and sour cream. Delicious!  I never realized that tortillas and pasta were so interchangeable, but they truly are!  That’s a tip I’ll keep in mind for future reference.  My husband liked it because it was such a pleasant surprise and just a bit of a different take on an old favorite dish.  I served these with a tossed salad with light dressing and 1/2 garlic breadstick for a total of 465 calories.  Here’s a stock photo from the Taste of Home website.


Personally, I was a huge fan of this Three-Meat Spaghetti Sauce.  My whole family thought this was absolutely delicious.  In fact, I think it’s maybe the best spaghetti sauce recipe I’ve ever tried!  So many great flavors.  This one is definitely a keeper!


That’s it for this week!  I hope you try a new fall delight in your menu this week!

Saturday, October 24, 2020

Favorite Recipes for the Week of October 18th

We had a crazy week of wild weather…started out 86 every day, but then an early morning storm blew through on Friday morning and brought with it a sharp cold front.  Today, it got so cold that we started a fire in our backyard firepit at sunset and sat outside for a while!  The air was very crisp, and I understand we will have some 30’s and 40’s early next week!  The weather in north TX always likes to catch you off guard.  I spent the afternoon switching out my son’s wardrobe and having him try on his fall and winter clothes to see what he has outgrown…turns out he outgrew at least half of his clothes and shoes!  I guess some shopping is in my future…

TOP FAVORITE BREAKFAST:

Lighter Blueberry French Toast.  My husband isn’t super fond of blueberries, but he will eat them if I put some in front of him.  He wished this recipe had less blueberries, but for me, it was delightful!  I love the blueberry syrup/sauce.  I made this up ahead of time and separated out the blueberry sauce into little cups that could be reheated in the microwave, and the French toast could be re-crisped in the air fryer so it wouldn’t be soggy.  After doing that each morning, I cut my French toast into bite sized pieces and then poured the hot blueberry sauce over the top.  Yummy!  I served this with a little box of orange juice on the side for a total of 345 calories.


TOP FAVORITE LUNCH:

Antipasto-Stuffed Baguettes.  These were absolutely delicious!  My sons ate them cold, but my husband and I ate them hot.  They were easy to reheat wrapped in foil and were still delicious left over.  I used take-and-bake French baguette bread loaves that came in a 2-pack from Walmart.  These sandwiches were a delightful combination of flavors that I served with baked chips and grapes for a total of 441 calories.  Each loaf of bread made 3 sandwiches, so the portion size was quite generous.  I didn’t slice them into tiny sections as the recipe suggested…instead I just sliced each loaf into 3 whole sandwiches.  We ate them so fast that I failed to take a photo, so here is a stock photo from the Taste of Home website. 

Antipasto-Stuffed Baguettes

I have to give some honorable mention, though, to a delicious side dish we had with lunch one day this week.  It was a Honey-Dijon Potato Salad.  My husband and I were really surprised at how flavorful it was.  It’s one of the best homemade potato salads I’ve ever made.  We had it with turkey hot dogs.  My husband said it was so good that he saved it for last so the flavors would linger in on his palette. 


TOP FAVORITE DINNER:

Enchilada Casser-Ole.  This had to be the dinner winner for the week, just because you can’t go wrong with the classic flavor combination of enchiladas.  This casserole was so easy to make without the step of rolling up individual enchiladas.  It reminded us of the flavors of a taco pie that I used to make for my kids that was always a family favorite.  I served this with fresh toppings (lettuce, tomato, and light sour cream) and a 1/4 cup of Birds Eye Southwestern-Style Rice on the side for a total of 452 calories.  Again, we all dug right in and failed to get a photo, so here is the stock photo from the Taste of Home website.


Another fabulous dinner worth mentioning is these unique “Little Kick” Jalapeno Burgers.  This is more of a turkey slider, but it’s filled with fresh chopped jalapenos and topped with the unusual toppings of salsa and sour cream.  The flavors will surprise you!  It was absolutely delicious, and even my 12-year old son couldn’t wait to have them again.  It makes a really small burger, but it was full of flavor and very satisfying.  I served them on little Hawaiian slider buns with a salad and grapes for a total of 327 calories.

 

TOP FAVORITE DESSERT:

For dessert this week, I splurged and made our favorite chocolate chip cookies that I bake using my Perfect Bake system.  The recipe is called Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookies, and the espresso powder is what boosts and intensifies the chocolate flavor in these cookies.  They poof up and make perfect little domes that are chewy on the inside and crispy on the outside.  Fabulous!


I’m happy to report that I had my annual checkup this week and fasted for all of my blood tests.  My cholesterol was in the normal range for the first time in years (barely, but it’s in there!), and everything came out great!  So this goes to show that some regular exercise and eating reasonable portions of great homemade foods like the recipes I’ve been featuring can keep your health in check!  You don’t have to go crazy with extremes of eating and exercise…just keep it reasonable, use fresh foods, and make your meals from scratch.  I exercise 5 days a week for about 30 minutes plus a little extra for ab work.  That’s it!  And I do indulge in treats like those chocolate chip cookies and ice cream and such.  Just keep it reasonable!

That’s all for now!  Have a great week.

Saturday, October 17, 2020

Favorite Recipes for the Week fo October 11th

We tried lots of new recipes this week, so I hope you’ll find something you’d really like to try from our favorites.

TOP FAVORITE BREAKFAST:

Silver Dollar Oat Pancakes.  My husband and tween son really liked these easy pancakes.  I found that it made less than the recipe says, so count on about 4 per serving instead of 5.  I served them with a slice of bacon, an egg, and 1/4 cup of fresh pineapple for a total of 346 calories.  Here is a stock photo from theTaste of Home website.

Silver Dollar Oat Pancakes


TOP FAVORITE LUNCH:

Anytime Turkey Chili.  This was a new take on chili for us…I’ve never before added pumpkin puree to any type of chili or soup, but I had heard it’s great for fall soups and stews, and I know it’s very good for you, so we decide to give it a try.  It wasn’t bad at all!  This is a super nutritious turkey chili, and we actually found that it tasted better the more days it was leftover.  I sprinkled a little shredded light cheddar on top and served it with 4 saltine crackers, a small salad with light dressing, and 1/3 cup red grapes for a total of 336 calories.  Even my tween son gobbled this up!  He kept saying he wanted to try it on chili dogs…maybe next time!


TOP FAVORITE DINNER:

Black Bean Chicken Tacos.  There’s nothing not to like about a good chicken taco recipe.  You just can’t go wrong!  This one was no exception.  I did not make the tortillas from scratch, as I was short on time that night, but the filling was absolutely delicious!  I served it with 1/2 cup fat-free refried beans and a salad with light dressing for a total of 357 calories.  Yum!  Here is a stock photo from the Taste of Home website.

Black Bean Chicken Tacos


For dessert this week, I made another batch of the Triple Berry Cobbler I shared in a previous post.  It was just too good not to have it again!

That’s it for now.  Enjoy!

Saturday, October 10, 2020

Favorite Recipes for the Week of October 4th

This was week 2 of having my husband self-quarantine and work from home, so things were still a bit out of whack here.  On the upside, I was surprised during a webinar for work on Tuesday by being awarded a $50 Amazon gift card for being selected as the September Reviewer of the Month!  I’ve been on the Homeschool Review Crew for 9 seasons now, so I really appreciated the recognition!  I told my husband that will buy me about 5 more paint-by-number kits from Amazon!  Smile 

Reviewer of the Month Homeschool Review Crew September 2020[14114]

Now on to this week’s favorite recipes!


TOP FAVORITE BREAKFAST:

Monterey Quiche.  This was really good with a delightful, buttery pie crust.  I reheated leftover portions in the air fryer to keep the crust crispy and not soggy, and it turned out great.  Even my 12-year old son loved this!  I served it with 1 slice of bacon and 1/2 cup red seedless grapes for a grand total of 316 calories.


TOP FAVORITE LUNCH:

Red, White, and Blue Pita Pockets.  This is an old favorite of ours.  The marinated steak is superb in this meal!  All of the flavors meld together so well.  I’m not usually a big fan of blue cheese, but this can’t be beat.  Of course, we gobbled it up before I took a photo, so a stock photo from Taste of Home will just have to do.  I served this with 1/3 cup red seedless grapes for a total of 480 calories.

Red, White and Blue Pita Pockets

We did have a close second favorite lunch, though, that’s worth mentioning.  The Colorful Beef Wrap was also a fabulous steak wrap for a hearty lunch, which I served with sliced strawberries.  Yummy!  If the pita pockets above are too many calories for you or you don’t have time to marinate, this is a great alternative.  Here’s a stock image for you from Taste of Home.


TOP FAVORITE DINNER:

Garlic Lemon Shrimp.  This is a pretty basic dish, but who doesn’t love shrimp and pasta?  This lighter version of shrimp scampi can be a little bland compared to the real thing soaked in melted butter, so I sprinkled a little extra parmesan cheese on top, and that perked it up a bit. I would definitely make this again, because you really can’t go wrong, but I think some extra minced garlic may be in order next time around.  I couldn’t help but think how much better it would be with melted butter in the sauce, but I digress!  Healthier cooking is the key with all of these recipes.  I served this with some steamed broccoli and a small Hawaiian roll with a little light butter on the side for a total of 343 calories.


Now that fall is here, I made the family a big batch of my traditional Old-Fashioned Soft Pumpkin Cookies.  When we think of fall, we all think of these cookies first, which are really like soft little cakes with a drizzle of icing on top.  I make half a batch of icing and just drizzle it on, because a little goes a long way with these.  The pumpkin flavor really shines through.  You can’t go wrong!  It makes a lot…I think I got about 42 cookies out it…and yet they were gone in a flash!  My adult son’s girlfriend loves them, too, and usually takes some home with her.  These are great with my morning tea, too.  They are just great, period!  Definitely give them a try.  Thanks, Nestle’s Very Best Baking, for an awesome and timeless recipe!  Here is the stock photo from Libby’s/Nestle, because these surely aren’t around long enough for a photo from home!

Old-Fashioned Soft Pumpkin Cookies


I hope you find some wonderful here to make for your family this week.  Happy cooking!

Saturday, October 3, 2020

Favorite Recipes for the Week of September 27th

We had an absolutely crazy week with lots of chaos, so I was really bad about taking meal photos this week.  It was all I could do just to get the meals prepped and prepared.  My husband’s close co-worker tested positive for coronavirus, so my husband was sent home to quarantine for 2 weeks.  In addition, he had to go today to get tested himself.  Thankfully, his rapid antigen test was negative, but we were on pins and needles all week!  Unfortunately, his co-worker’s wife tested positive by the end of the week, and so did the people he had been out to dinner with, which is how he had contracted it himself.  That being said, activities at home were in an upheaval, and I just failed to get photos of our favorite recipes this week.  So sorry!  I’m afraid you’ll have to be content with stock photos from the Taste of Home website.  Rest assured, though, that the meals were great!

TOP FAVORITE BREAKFAST:

Potato Egg Bake.  I really loved this recipe!  I used my veggie chopper to dice the potatoes really small.  The blend of flavors was fabulous, and the portion size was generous.  It was a very satisfying meal!  I served it with half a mini bagel with whipped cream cheese and a sliced golden kiwi fruit.  Refreshing!  All this was a total of 364 calories.  Here’s the photo from Taste of Home.

Potato Egg Bake


TOP FAVORITE LUNCH:

Chili Beef Quesadillas.  We all enjoyed these hearty quesadillas!  My adult son was particularly surprised at just how many good-for-you veggies were hidden in this delicious beefy quesadilla.  And the chili powder added a unique southwest flavor you don’t usually expect in a quesadilla.  We enjoyed it with a little salsa and light sour cream for dipping and 1/2 cup red seedless grapes for a total of 415 calories.  I have an actual quesadilla iron, so I used that to make these into perfect wedges rather than cooking them folded over in a skillet.  Here’s a photo from Taste of Home.

Chili Beef Quesadillas


TOP FAVORITE DINNER:

Basil Tuna Steaks.  Wow!  This was such a surprise!  My husband is not a big fan of fish in general.  He’ll eat it if I give it to him, but that doesn’t mean he likes it.  This, however, was something he said he never wanted to end!  We’ve never had Ahi Tuna Steaks before, but I found some really thick 4 oz. portions individually wrapped and frozen in the Specially Selected brand at Aldi this week.  There were 3 per package, so I grabbed two packs.  This was such a simple recipe with basil as the predominant flavor, but it was the *perfect* complement to the tuna steaks! We all really loved this recipe, and cooking it on the gas grill gave it that nice smoky flavor from the grill.  I served it with some steamed brown rice, and some green beans for a total of 322 calories.  I highly recommend this recipe!  Here’s a photo from Taste of Home.

Basil Tuna Steaks


With this meal, we also had a really wonderful Triple Berry Cobbler for dessert.  It was so simple and easy to make, and it paired fabulously served warm with a scoop of churned vanilla bean ice cream on top.  I just used a whole 3-cup bag of frozen berry blend from Aldi for the filling, which was a nice blend of strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries.  I couldn’t resist running out as it was cooling just to get the ice cream to serve over the top, and it was worth the wait!  I will definitely be making this again.  Here’s a photo from Taste of Home.

Triple-Berry Cobbler


I’m sure you’ll find something here you’ll absolutely love.  Happy cooking!