Black Friday

Black Friday: What many people know as "What Is This, No-Thanks-Giving Day?" Down here on the Gulf Coast, Mississippi, I actually saw nothing but courtesy. AND I got my family's gifts! Total: about $80. For 9 people, I think that's pretty darn good! :) Here's the deals:
                -Dad: New phone case, Amazon.com. $7.99 w/ FREE shipping.
                -Mom: Rue 21 necklace/earring set, Claire's 3 pk. studs, $11 total.
                -CJ: Aeropostale shirt (They last FOREVER!), $9
                -Phillip: AXE gift set, $5 (coupons+sales=happy wallet) {Walgreens}
                -Will: Ticket to see the Doctor Who 50th anniversary special, Sidewalk Prophets cd, $12 total.
                -Jesse: Veggie Tales dvd (the one he's been wanting to see :D), t-shirt, $8 total {Lifeway}
                -Nicky & Sam- Spiderman (N) and Batman (S) jammies, $6 a pair {Wal-Mart}
                -Gwen: Carter's sleeper, Claire's hair accessories, Old Navy leggings and tights, $12 total.

By the time I added in tax and the *treats* (candy I got cheap with a COUPON!), I ended up with almost $80. I think I did pretty good, versus my past routine of going to Dollar Tree on Christmas Eve. :) What deals have you snagged? Comment and share!

More recipes!

My mom tried making her own cranberry sauce this year. Oh my goodness, it was AMAZING!!! Here's the recipe:

2- 12 oz. bags fresh cranberries
2 1/2 C. cool water
2 C. sugar
1/2 a fresh lemon

The ingredients

Fill a small pot with the water, and add the sugar. Set on high heat and bring to a boil.

 Pour the cranberries into a colander, and clean out any bad berries (if they're squishy or REALLY wrinkled, it's garbage).

 Add the berries to the boiling water. Squeeze the lemon half into the boiling berries, and if desired, add some lemon rind for a little extra taste. :) Boil for about 15 minutes, or until thickened. Take off stovetop and let cool to room temperature. SERVE! :)

Ready to serve! :)

It's the Holidays!

Happy Thanksgiving!
It's traditional in my family to have a large Thanksgiving feast. For the past few years, my family has spent the holiday here at home. My tradition I started about 2 years ago was my Gingerbread-crust Pumpkin Pie, a recipe I made myself. After tweaking an old Better Homes and Gardens pastry recipe, I finally got what I wanted: A delicious holiday masterpiece. The smells, the flavors, the look... It's all there! So, I'm going to share my recipe with you all! (My mom said we should try the gingerbread crust in a sweet potato pie-why not? :D )

Crust
2 C. flour (I used whole wheat)
1 Tsp. salt
1/3 C. organic sugar (Zulka sugar is wonderful!)
2/3 C. COLD butter or shortening
2 Tsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Ginger
1/2- 1 Tsp. Ground Cloves
6-7 Tbsp. COLD water

Filling
3/4 C sugar
1/2 Tsp. salt
1 Tsp cinnamon
1/2 Tsp ginger
1/4 Tsp cloves
2 LARGE eggs (or 3 small)
1 15 oz. can pumpkin (NOT pie filling)
1 12 oz. can evaporated milk
 Preheat oven to 425*

Starting with the crust:

Mix together all dry ingredients in a large bowl. You should be able to smell it already. :) Cut in the butter, until it's about the size of peas.

*Before*

*After*

When you have achieved the pea-sized texture, add about 5 tablespoons of COLD water. (I suggest adding ice to your water when preparing your ingredients.) Use more, if needed.

This is what it should look like :)

I did a bad thing, and decided to mix the pastry with my hands. :/ NOT COOL. As soon as I realized I was, in fact, using my hands rather than a fork, I stuck the dough in the freezer for about 5 or 10 minutes.             After allowing the dough to get back to the right temperature, roll the pastry to about 1/4 in. thick. I know     that sounds a little too thick, but trust me. You want it slightly thicker.                                                             

 Press it into the pie pan, and make sure you get it in the corners. I trimmed the excess and made a rope-       style decorative crust. (Photo below)                                                                                                        

Now for the filling! I actually got the recipe off the back of a Libby's pie filling can, so yeah, no secret family recipe! Ha ha! :D

Adding the pumpkin...

And this is the consistency with evaporated milk!

Mix the sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves in a small bowl. Beat in the eggs. Add the pumpkin and evaporated milk SLOWLY so as to avoid a big mess. (The mixture tends to be very liquid-y.)  Pour the mixture into your pie shell, and if desired, add your crust/trim.

Filling's in and ready for the oven!

 BE CAREFUL WHEN TRANSPORTING TO THE OVEN. THE FILLING DOES SLOSH. :) Bake at 425* for 15 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350*, baking for 40-50 minutes. 

And here it is! We just finished our feast, and guess what? The gingerbread crust was (yet again!) a hit! :)

                                                                        

STRENGTHEN

Strengthen? Strengthen what? Strengthen who?
We as Christians should strengthen each other. We as women, we should be strengthening our families. By encouraging, we strengthen our parents, our brothers, our sisters, our friends. Each day, I will try to post what each letter in the word STRENGTHEN stands for us as young women.

Today's letter-S.
S-Sanctify.
2 Chronicles 2:4
Ask yourself: is there anything in your home that is unclean, impure, ungodly? To start the strengthening in your home, you must purify your home of ungodly influences, be it music, television, books computer, whatever. Leviticus 8 tells us that God WANTS sanctification in our hearts and our home.
Are there idols in your home? Is there anything taking God's place in your heart and home? The first step in bringing encouragement to your family and home, is allowing God to take His rightful place in the Home: The very Center.

Hello, Readers! Last weekend (October 25-27) I was so blessed to be able to attend a retreat with my wonderful mother in Georgia. Have you ever heard of Above Rubies? It is an AMAZING magazine designed specifically for mothers, to give encouragement, and to share the love of Christ. My mom actually accepted Jesus Christ at one of these retreats 14 years ago. :) I was so uplifted and so encouraged!! I met some WONDERFUL girls who encouraged me SO MUCH!

From left to right: Me, Ansley, Jeni, Rachel, Trina

The five of us became very close over the Saturday of that weekend, and let me tell ya, there were just about tears when we had to say goodbye on Sunday. I have never met such wonderful girls and become so close in such a short period of time! (By the way, we did do the traditional girlfriend ritual-we were awake at almost 2 AM Sunday morning, talking and giggling. :D) But yeah! That retreat is-was-EXACTLY what I needed spiritually! Mrs. Nancy Campbell was the speaker, and let me tell you, that woman is EXTRAORDINARY. God created in her such a longing after Him, the longing I so desire after. Lord willing I will be able to post more details of Mrs. Nancy's seminar sessions later. Ciao for now!

Shelby