Recipes And Housecleaning

Hi, friends!

I realized when I was looking through my blog stats the other day, that I haven't done a recipe post since last fall!

How can that be?!

Home cooked meals are a huge part of happy home living!!!

But the truth is, I can easily become uninspired about cooking.

I feel like I make the same dishes over and over again.

Several weeks ago a friend sent me a very simple recipe, so I decided to give it a try.

My family loved it! And she told me that I could share her recipe with you!

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~ Erin's Sausage Bake ~

I always like to start supper in a clean and tidy kitchen, and after I've had my quiet hour for the day.

That way, I feel refreshed and motivated to get started!

I also like to put on some uplifting music, and sometimes I'll light a candle...

If you make your atmosphere and attitude pleasant, housework really doesn't have to become  drudgery. In fact, it can actually be fun!

But anyway... back to the recipe!

Start by getting out a corning ware dish, and washing some baby potatoes...

Cut them in half and place them in the dish.

Next, add carrots...

Then, (the star of the show)... A package of smoked sausage...

Cut that up too, and plop it in!

Erin advised me to use onion and butter for flavoring... SO, some sliced onion is up next...

Here's a little tip for slicing onions...

I've noticed that if I keep a glass of cold water close by and regularly stop to take sips, the onion won't bother my eyes and cause me to cry.

I sprinkled on a generous amount of salt, then dotted the top with butter...

Cover it, and place it in a 350 degree oven to bake for about 45 minutes.

While it was baking, I paused for five minutes to look out my window and count my blessings...

Then I washed up the dishes and set the table...

I find all of this to be very relaxing.

We sure are lucky! Aren't we, friends?!

BUT, lest any of you think my entire house is peace-filled while I work...

THIS is the usual scene in the family room by late afternoon...

I have come to accept it.

I tell myself, We'll tidy up later... It's only one room... They're having fun... They're bonding and building stronger relationships... etc, etc... And once I talk to myself a little bit, I feel better! Haha! 

But seriously, I really do try to allow a lot of play time for my children. As Mr. Rogers was famous for saying, "Children practice what they've learned by playing."

I've witnessed my children playing "Restaurant," "Shopping," and "Bank"... Once they played "Voting," and set up a Town Hall with booths and ballots. I laughed when I overheard one child say to another, "Please show me your I.D. and state your name, address, and favorite color." 

Haha!!!

Well, except for the play land I mean family room, I went around the house to do a quick tidy before Micah got home. I do my best on most days to make sure the bathroom's wiped down, school books are put away, and the house has a general feeling of "tidiness" before he gets home.

Friends, this is important!

Several years ago I was talking with a woman who didn't know to do this. She was lamenting to me how her husband gets so upset when he comes home after work and she doesn't know why. After talking with her for a little bit, and asking her questions, I came to learn that their house was a disaster, there was laundry strewn all over the bed, and she rarely cooked supper. 

No wonder the husband was upset!

I tried to gently show her that this was unacceptable.

I explained to her that a quick house tidy at the end of the day, as well as cooking something simple for supper, is easy to do!

"A half hour before your husband is due home, go room by room, spending only a few minutes in each room, and just tidy up the best you can." I told her. "But before you start, throw something in the oven for supper!"

She laughed and said, "But I can't cook!"

Nonsense.

Let's not tell ourselves that, friends. 

Can you read and follow directions? 

Then you can cook!

And speaking of cooking, I can't forget to show you the cornbread that I made to go along with our sausage bake...

This is my husband's mother's recipe, and it's a family favorite!

About fifteen minutes before the sausage bake was due to come out, I got to work on assembling what I needed for the cornbread.

Years ago I divided this recipe in thirds because that is what suited our family the best.

I wrote the measurements on the back...

It is still what I follow to this day.

~ My mother-in-law's cornbread ~

This is what you'll need...

I like to set everything out and get my measuring done first before I start mixing things together.

Put the butter in the pan and let it melt in the oven...

(I took the lid off the sausage for the last few minutes of cooking, so the onions would turn golden brown...)

While it's melting, mix together the other ingredients.

The dry first...

Then the wet...

Until you have a nice batter...

Once the butter is melted, pull the pan out from the oven...

And pour the batter into the sizzling butter...

Then, back in the oven it goes!

I pulled the sausage bake out to cool a little bit while the cornbread was baking...

It smelled and looked great!

We were hungry! And I couldn't keep my crew from digging in...

This is what the cornbread looks like when it's done...

Everything was delicious!

"Spice a dish with love and it pleases every palate."

~ Plautus, c. 254-184 BC

This meal was a hit!

Everyone went back for seconds...

And thirds!!!

I will definitely add this to my rotation of "go-to" meals!

I have a friend who says that meals around the supper table should be valued and prioritized. I've heard her say, "Slow down. Sit down with your family. Put your phones away, and just visit!"

I've tried to allow her words to encourage and motivate me in my homemaking. I want to make our supper times enjoyable and happy for my family!

Micah and I don't use supper as a time to discuss issues, finances, or any other adult matters... We just focus on laughing and having fun with the kids, and we wait to talk about serious things until after they go to bed.

When dinner is over, everyone's expected to clear their place...

And I get to work on cleaning up the kitchen!

Every surface is usually a mess, so I can easily get to feeling overwhelmed!

But, I've learned a trick that helps make it manageable.

I break up the huge work load into chunks, and work in sections, until the entire kitchen is clean.

For example, I begin at the table.

Only focusing on the table, I clear everything off, wipe it down, and pull the chairs away to vacuum...

Once the table area is done, it'll look like this... And I can move on to the island...

(By doing it this way, you'll find that each little accomplished area will spur you on to tackle more!)

Now, only focusing on the island, I clear it off and wipe it down.

Once it's done, all I have left is the sink area, which you can see in the background...

It's a doozy, but I can do it! Haha...

I tell myself, The table and island are done and this is all I have left!

Working quickly and efficiently, I load the dishwasher, and wipe down the counter and sink.

BOOM! Done!

When I was growing up, we didn't have a dishwasher. I can remember my dad doing the after-supper kitchen chores to help my mom. I never understood back then what the big deal was if I wanted to go back into the kitchen, an hour or two after supper was over, for a drink or a snack. My dad would guard it like a hawk, shouting, "Halt! Step away from the cupboard! The kitchen is closed!"

Well now, I GET IT!

 Now I'M the kitchen hawk shouting, "Stop right there with your unauthorized cup of juice!!!"

Yes, cleaning up an entire kitchen after a meal is a lot of work, but it must be done quickly and it must be done well!

Here's an example of why...

Within minutes of me clearing and wiping off the table, Roman plunked himself down to work on an art project... And the next thing I knew everyone had joined the coloring party...

I was really glad they were able to sit down to a clean table, and not get their paper (or elbow!) in something wet or sticky!

Clean homes are beautiful homes, and are a gift and a blessing to our families!

And you, dear reader, are a gift and a blessing to me!

It means so much to me that you take the time to stop by my blog. And I absolutely love hearing from you!

Blessings until next time...

xo,

~ Courtney ~