Pottery Barn Kids Inspired Transportation Art

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When I saw these the other cute painted canvases the other day (for $39 each – yikes!), I decided to make my own version for free using fabric and frames that I had on hand.   

Darling Little Redhead chose the truck.  And we together chose the boat for El Principito.  I was thankful that’s how it worked out because the airplane looked the most complicated! 

These will go above each boy’s bed.  I hope to make a small coordinating pillow too.  I’m not sure if that comes before or after painting their bed frames but hopefully it will all be done before too much longer!

Have a wonderful day everyone!!  May the joy of the Lord be your strength! 

General Tsao’s Chicken (Better than the Restaurant)

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Sauce:

Ingredients: ½ C cornstarch, ¼ C water, 1 T minced fresh garlic, 1 ½ tsp ginger (or fresh grated), ¾ C sugar, ½ C soy sauce, ¼ C white vinegar, 2 ¼ C chicken broth, 1 tsp salt

Instructions: Put all ingredients in a jar, shake and set aside (or refrigerate).  Just shake again when you are ready to use it.

Chicken:

Ingredients: 2- 2 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into chunks, ¼ C soy sauce, 1 egg beaten, 1 C cornstarch, oil for deep frying

Instructions: Mix chicken and soy sauce. Stir in egg. Add cornstarch and mix until chicken pieces are coated. It’s pretty gooey and nasty looking. Deep fry until golden brown then drain.

Combine Sauce and Chicken:

Ingredients: 1 C sliced green onions, hot peppers to taste

Instructions: Sauté 1 cup sliced green onions and hot peppers in a bit of oil.  Add sauce mixture and cook until thick.  Then add chicken until rewarmed.  If desired, throw some broccoli crowns in with the chicken and it will cook to perfection while the chicken warms.

Serve with rice. 

Please let me know if you try this recipe!!   I would love to hear what you think! 

Top 5 Cooking Epiphanies, 2010 Version

5.  In my kitchen, cookbooks just take up space (don’t shoot me)!  I rarely use them and prefer tried and true recipes from friends or highly rated recipes at Allrecipes.com.  Now that I realize that, I’ll stop carting them around the globe! 

 

Here are a few of my favorites from All Recipes: JP’s Big Daddy Biscuits, Jay’s Signature Pizza Crust, Baked Teriyaki Chicken, Rhubarb Strawberry Jam (my kingdom for some rhubarb right about now!) and One Bowl Chocolate Cake.

Bottom Line: I stick with the tried and true and that is ok!

4.  Grating an onion doesn’t make you cry like chopping one does.  I am also less likely to injure myself with a grater than I am with a knife.  :) Not to mention the fact that my kids and onion hating brother-in-law are less likely to notice onions in this form!

Bottom Line: Am I the last person on the planet to figure this out??

3.  I can make it!  Whether it is rolling out a flaky pie crust, frying up some down home chicken or making Crispy and Creamy Donuts, it’s possible.  To me those foods seemed complicated and like they took special skill, but I finally just tried them!  Sure I’m not famous for any of these things (yet, lol) but but no one is complaining!   

Bottom Line: No more saying, “I don’t know how to make that!”  Just give yourself plenty of time and try it!

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2.  General Tsao’s Chicken made at home tastes JUST as good as the restaurant!  My husband and every single person I have made it for wholeheartedly agree!

Bottom Line: You want the recipe, right?

1.  Cooking is holy work!  My new mantra is “I don’t feed bodies, I feed souls!” and I think I’m going to paint that on the wall of my kitchen for those times when I forget that the heart of my work in the kitchen is NURTURING and LOVING my precious family and friends! 

Bottom Line: If you’ll excuse me, I’ve got some souls to feed!

What have you learned about cooking in 2010?  I’d love to hear! 

Hand Holding and Sitting By the Fire

My honey was in the hospital for 3 1/2 days last week, so this weekend we did a lot hand holding, resting and basking the warmth of the crackling fire (it’s winter here!).  My soul feasted and was fed by God’s gracious favor.     

Praying your soul was also fed this weekend as you enjoyed His good and perfect gifts! 

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father…”  James 1:17

Sometimes it Takes a Month

Exactly one month after we moved into our house, we finally hung window treatments!  Part of the slow down was that I didn’t find anything I loved in our little town so I was waiting to shop in the big city.  I’ll tell you more about that trip soon…but for now, I couldn’t wait to show you!  I think they were worth the wait!  Special thanks to my Dad and Mom for the birthday money!  :) 

I am also thrilled with my screen door mirror!  My former landlady generously gave me the screen door and when I was thinking about how nice it would be to have a full length mirror, this idea dawned on me.

Now, let’s just hope it doesn’t take me another month to finish this room!  And that another month doesn’t pass before my next blog post!  :)  Can’t wait to tell you all I’ve been up to! 

Sneak Peak

Hi!  I’m still working on decorating our new home, but I thought you would enjoy a few sneak peaks!  

 

Beautiful Kitchen Cabinets

The last of my birthday flowers  :)

I smile EVERY time I see this! 

Bedroom…hoping to find fabric for curtains in the capital this week!

We made the headboard out of a screen door our last landlady gave me!  I would like to put fabric in the openings.  We’ll see!  :)

 

This is what the little chalkboard usually looks like.  Ha ha!  We try to dwell peacefully, but more often we dwell with a little bit of chaos and craziness around here!  :) 

Hugs!  Hoping to show you a more finished house soon!!! 

One Year in Paraguay!

Today we celebrate one year of ministry in Paraguay!  I am so thankful to the Lord for how much this country and her precious people have worked their way into my heart already!  I can honestly say I love it here!

Three moves, learning a new culture and ministry, one major health crisis and 4 extra kiddos made this a busy and challenging year to say the least, and yet I wouldn’t trade what CHRIST has done in me through it all.  I pray that He will continue to increase in my heart and somehow use me to make Him known here in Paraguay.   

Thank you so much for your love, prayers and support over the past year!  I am so thankful for every single one of you who read my blog!   

Also, I hope to get back to blogging regularly again soon.  I have really missed it!  Thanks for your patience while I finish getting settled in house number three and also host some family visiting from Colombia and the United States.  I’ll be back soon with pictures of our new home!