Sew God's Grace

We made these treats for Vacation Bible School today.  They turned out so cute--I had to post them. For each carousel, you will need the following: 1 cupcake Frosting Sprinkles Three animal crackers A drink umbrella We let the kids build their own carousels, so for each one we put a large dollop of frosting on the plate along with a plastic knife.  For sprinkles, we liked the idea of each child having their own sprinkle container.  But, what to use? We had used these multi-purpose containers for ranch dressing the day before.  You can find them at Walmart in the paper goods aisle.  Using a single hole punch, I punched two holes in the top of the lid.  Put some sprinkles inside, pop on the lid, and you have your own personal sprinkle container! The kids had a great time with them, from pre-school kiddos to the junior high aged helpers.  Looking for a way to tie this into a Bible lesson?  Well, our verse t...

Here's a fun recipe that I was introduced to when I married into the Pearce family.  Matt's mom made these for us several times, and I think they are delicious.  As an added bonus, they are quick and very easy! Use minute steaks for these, as many as you need to feed your family. Place a line of mustard down the middle of your steak.  Barbeque sauce is also yummy! Place a dill pickle spear on top. Roll up and secure with toothpicks.  Grill, turning once, about 3-4 minutes per side or until meat is no longer pink. Today the wind was blowing about a gazillion miles an hour, so there was no way these were going outside to get cooked.  I used my George Foreman grill on medium heat.  I cooked them 4 minutes on one side, turned them, and cooked three minutes longer.  I think I could have gone with a little less time, but I like to make sure that meat gets cooked. Hope you enjoy this one!

If you are looking for something for lunch that is simple and is a little heartier than a PB & J, I have a recipe for you!  I got this recipe from my mother-in-law.  It's a great way to use leftover chicken. Here's what you will need: Tortillas Refried Beans Salsa, if desired Shredded cheese Diced cooked chicken Onions, if desired Taco seasoning The amounts needed depend on how big your tortillas are and your own personal preferences.  I had large tortillas and only two 4 ounce pieces of chicken.  I stretched the chicken to make four of these, but I would have preferred to have a little more chicken--something like 12 ounces would have been better. Start by spreading some refried beans on your tortilla. Add salsa if desired and sprinkle with shredded cheese.  (We like the colby and monterray jack blend.) Top with chicken and sprinkle with a small amount of taco seasoning.  If you are cooking chicken just for making chi...

I typically don't do anything more with my baked beans than just open a can and heat them up.  However, I found an easy recipe on Betty Crocker, so I decided to give it a try (with a few modifications).  I took it to a barbeque with friends the other night, and it was a hit.  My husband wanted to know who made them because they were really good! Here's the recipe: 1 can (28 oz. ) Bush's Best Country Style Baked Beans 1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed 1 can (15 oz.) chili beans 1 can (10 oz.) diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained 1/4 cup ketchup 2 - 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar 6 - 8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled  (I use pre-cooked bacon, such a time-saver!) Throw all the ingredients into your slow cooker.  Set on low and cook for 2 -3 hours until heated through.  I think this might be a great one to take for church potluck sometime--I may even throw a pound of cooked gr...

Sometimes it seems like I am making more things for my girls than I am for my boy.  Let's face it, those little dresses are so cute and easy!  So, I was thrilled to find the idea for this monster appliqued T-shirt.  The inspiration for this project goes to my cousin-in-law, Kendall.  She posted a picture on facebook of a T-shirt that she had made for her son (also in Kindergarten).  When I saw it, I knew I had to make one for Evan. Start by drawing your basic design on cardstock.  Then make two copies.  Cut out the body of the monster out of your original drawing, then cut the mouth, teeth, eyes, and pupils out of your copies.  Apply wonder-under to desired fabrics.  Trace the designs backwards onto the paper of the wonder-under and cut out.  Iron on to T-shirt and applique away.  Don't forget to put some tear-away stabilizer on the back of your T-shirt underneath your design. I recommend...

This recipe is one of our family's favorites.  I found it in a Taste of Home's Healthy Cooking Magazine.  I love the convenience of making the dough in the bread machine.  Here's the recipe: 1 1/4 cups warm water 1/2 cup honey 2 tablespoons canola oil 1 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup quick-cooking oats 1 1/2 cups bread flour (I use all-purpose) 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour 1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast  (2 1/4 teaspoons) In bread machine pan, place all ingredients in order suggested by manufacturer. If you have good luck baking in your bread machine, select basic bread setting, crust color, etc. and enjoy some bread in about three hours. I, however, do not have the patience to get the hang of how bread bakes in my bread machine.  My few attempts have not turned out that great, so I prefer to make the dough in the machine and then bake it in the oven.  So, select "dough" setting and wait until the dough is ready. I then form...

This is one of my go-to recipes.  My kids really like it, and it's quick and easy.  I adapted the recipe from one on Allrecipes.com found here. Here's what I did. Quick Salisbury Steak 1 pound ground beef 1 egg 3 tablespoons crushed Ritz cracker crumbs (6 crackers) 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion (I omit because we are not an onion family) 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Preheat George Foreman grill to medium. Mix all ingredients except ground beef. Crumble ground beef over the top and mix until just combined. Shape into 6 oval-shaped patties. Place on George Foreman grill and cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until browned and meat is no longer pink in the middle.  If you don't have a George Foreman Grill, just brown in a skillet. Meanwhile, mix one can cream of mushroom soup with 1/4 to 1/2 cup milk until smooth. Place a small amount of gravy in the bottom of a 2 qua...