Sew God's Grace

So, I finally did it.  I got a picture of my beef stew so that I could get the recipe recorded on my blog.  Then when I went to edit it. . . wow! when you enlarge the image of your crock pot on your monitor, it doesn't look quite as great as you thought it did when you snapped the picture!  Alas, I am not a photographer.  In truth, a hurried snap on my phone is as good as you're going to get on this blog!  Please go ahead and try this recipe, though.  It really is delicious! Please note:  this makes a large amount.  Be prepared to freeze some or halve the recipe if you don't have a large crew to feed like I do!  Also, I do not cook with onion as my husband cannot tolerate it.  By all means, add some onion if you like! Hearty Beef Stew  (influenced by this recipe ) 3 pounds stew meat 4 cups beef broth 6 oz. can tomato paste 3-4 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped 20 or so baby carrots, chopped 4 celery stalks, chopped 2 bay leaves 1 teaspoon thyme 2 tablespo

Last week I needed a quick meal to get on the table for lunch.  I found a recipe that I had pinned for  Cashew Beef Stir Fry , and it fit the bill nicely.  I made enough modifications to the recipe that I decided to post it.  I will definitely be making this one again.  If you have your beef pre-cooked, it comes together in a jiffy.  Here's the recipe. Cashew Beef Stir Fry (adapted from this recipe ) 2 pounds hamburger, cooked and drained 1 tablespoon coconut oil 1/2 green pepper, chopped 1/2 yellow or red pepper, chopped 1/2 pound fresh or frozen asparagus spears, cut into 1 inch pieces 1 teaspoon ginger 1 teaspoon minced garlic (I have a jar in the fridge!) 6 ounces coconut aminos (Use soy sauce if not paleo) 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder (Use corn starch if not paleo) 1/4 cup water 1/2 cup raw cashews salt and pepper to taste red pepper flakes to taste In a large skillet, heat the coconut oil over medium heat.  Add the peppers, asparagus pieces, and garlic

I have made a lot of different chocolate chip cookie recipes over the years, but these are by far my family's favorite!  I have made them so many times that I have the recipe memorized.  Recently, we were in Colorado at my husband's parents' vacation home, and of course we had the need for some homemade cookies.  They looked so pretty on the counter that I thought I'd better get a picture so that I could share the recipe here. Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, slightly softened  (see note) 3/4 cup packed brown sugar 1/4 cup white sugar 1 small box instant vanilla pudding (3.4 ounce size) 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 1/4 cups flour (see note) 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt, optional 2 cups chocolate chips Cream butter, sugars, and pudding mix for 2-3 minutes in electric mixer.  Meanwhile, mix flour, baking soda, and salt if using.  Crack eggs into a separate container and add vanilla.  Add to butter mixture and mix until

Almost every Tuesday is "Taco Tuesday" at our house.  I love it because, well, I love tacos.  Also, I don't have to think about what we are going to eat for supper that day! I have adapted my recipe for taco seasoning from this one  here. 1/2 cup chili powder 1/8 cup onion powder 1/8 cup ground cumin 1 tablespoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon paprika 1 tablespoon sea salt 1 1/2 tablespoons oregano 1/8 teaspoon each cayenne pepper and chipotle pepper powder, optional Place all ingredients in mason jar with a lid and shake well. I use a heaping tablespoon per pound of meat and add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water; adjust to your preference! To make chicken for tacos, I place frozen chicken breasts in the crockpot, add seasoning and some coconut oil (about 2 Tablespoons for 3 pounds meat), and cook on high for 3 - 3 1/2 hours.  Then Ishred the chicken in my Kitchenaid mixer and put it back in the crockpot on "warm" until we are ready to eat.  I like to make e

My kids love to have breakfast for supper.  I usually make breakfast for supper on a Thursday or Friday, and I make a big bunch of pancakes or waffles and some scrambled eggs.  Then I save the leftovers for Sunday breakfast.  This really cuts down on my crazy as we are trying to get ready for church and out the door!  The picture above is a double batch of pancakes.  These freeze great in a ziploc bag.  To serve, thaw overnight in the fridge and then toast. My kids have not loved pancakes until I got this recipe from my good friend Amber.  She brought some over for me when we welcomed little Jack into our family.  Of course, I requested the recipe straightaway!  My kids enjoy these with either peanut butter or chocolate spread in between two pancakes--then they eat them like a sandwich with no syrup.  It's a lot less messy for my three year old! If you like gadgets, you might want to check out this batter dispenser from Amazon.  We love ours!  My kids are pretty eager to he