Homemade Pita Chips

I had such a fun time yesterday experimenting with homemade pita bread. I had never made it before, but I was extremely pleased with how well it turned out. Most of the bread I made into pita chips, but I used one flatbread for a mini pizza for my supper. I also saved one to use as a pita sandwich. The pita chips were AWESOME! My husband absolutely loved them with the hummus! He also had never had hummus before, and he loved it, too! He didn't know it was made from chickpeas. hehe. He couldn't believe it when I told him what was in it. It was a definite winner for us. I am for sure making these again. They make a great appetizer or snack.

First, make this homemade pita bread (or you can use store-bought pitas.)

Homemade Baked Pita Chips

3 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp Montreal Chicken seasoning or your favourite spice mix

Whisk together oil and seasoning. Brush oil onto each pita. Cut each pita into 8-12 wedges. Place wedges onto a baking sheet, and bake at 400 F for 4-5 minutes. Watch closely. Flip half way through if desired, but it really isn't necessary. Serve them with hummus, guacamole, or whatever you like.

Healthy Snacks and Wardrobe Woes

Sewing/Decorating Update

I was really hoping to try out a new sewing machine today. I even went to the store bright and early in hopes of my machine being there, but I was told to check back tomorrow. Sigh. I am seriously so excited to start sewing! I found one that I want to buy. It is a computerized Singer on a good sale. My sewing kit is ready to go...all I need is a machine!

I also bought some paint yesterday to paint our bedroom. Our bedroom is currently a shade of green that I really do not care for. I am planning on painting it a more neutral colour and sewing some plain brown curtains. I don't know how to describe the paint colour. It's kind of grey but warmer. Hmm..I'll try to post before/after pictures if I remember.

Now...regarding healthy snacks.

Today I think I might experiment with a new snack recipe. I really like chips and dip, but they aren't exactly the most calorie-friendly things. I have been trying to eat a bit healthier and make healthier substitutions for some of my favourite foods. I found a really easy recipe for homemade pita bread. I thought I might make that today and then make some homemade pita chips out of it and serve them with hummus. If it turns out, I will share the recipe.

Now... for my wardrobe woes.

I am in desperate need of some new clothes. "Woe" probably is not the right word to use because I am actually quite happy that I have hardly anything that fits me right now. I have lost almost 30 pounds and several sizes since the end of December when I started exercising and eating healthier. Just a little while ago I got rid of all my old clothes from high school that I had held onto for 4 years in hopes of one day fitting into them again. Now I find myself wishing I had kept some of them. It seemed that right when I got rid of them all was when I found the motivation to start exercising again. I have also decided that it is time embrace the feminine. In the next while I plan on having my husband go through my wardrobe and get rid of all things he does not like. I went through an awful phase a year or two ago where I started...oh I'm almost too embarrassed to say it...wearing my husband's t-shirts. (gasp!) Terrible, I know, and oh-so-not-pretty. Thankfully, I stopped doing that a long time and my husband went through my clothes and threw out all of my old baggy t-shirts that were frumpy and downright ugly. Now it's time for another wardrobe overhaul, so I'll go through it again with my husband to get rid of clothes he doesn't like. I think that it's good for a wife to wear clothes that her husband approves of and likes.

Yesterday I went shopping with my mom for some new clothes. After a few hours, all I had found was...NOTHING! Things just didn't fit quite right. I find it difficult finding clothes that are modest and still pretty. In the end I did find a couple things, but wowsers, it was a very tiring day! Thankfully we are heading on a little family getaway in just over a month, and we tend to do the bulk of our shopping on these little vacations. Until then, I will just have to manage with what I have :-)

Sewing 101

I have tried knitting...and failed.
I have tried crocheting...and failed.
I have tried scrapbooking...and failed.

Now I'm going to try my hand at sewing with the hopes of discontinuing my negative pattern of failing miserably at the art of "hand crafts"

My mom gave me her old sewing machine to use and I have been waiting for her to come over and give me a few lessons. Back in the day I did sew a pencil case, pajama pants, and a shirt in home ec., but since then I have forgotten many things. Yesterday my mom came over, we set up the sewing machine, and she took me shopping for a sewing kit (my early Mother's Day gift :-) ). It was very exciting, and I could hardly wait to get started on sewing some curtains for our bedroom. Then when we got home the crazy machine would only sew backwards! Kind of disappointing. So now I am planning on getting myself a new sewing machine. I'm not sure what kind to get, but I'll probably just get a pretty basic one to start with. I have a couple patterns for really cute dresses that I can't wait to try out on my daughter. Not sure when I'll get around to buying one, but I hope it will be soon!

Menu Plan Monday (April 12)

Sorry for the lack of recipes and links this week. I'm in a hurry today, but I might add recipes and links later on in the week.

Sunday, April 11

Hot dogs, veggies & dip (we haven't had hot dogs in months! They taste so good when you haven't had one in a long time! LOL)

Monday, April 12
Whole wheat penne, tomato sauce, veggies & dip

Tuesday, April 13
Cheesearoni Beef Casserole, corn, salad

Wednesday, April 14
Leftovers

Thursday, April 15
Portobello penne and spinach bake, caesar salad

Friday, April 16
Leftovers

Saturday, April 17
Jeera Chicken Curry (new recipe), salad

Sunday, April 18
Summa Borscht, cheese biscuits

*For more meal ideas, visit Menu Plan Monday hosted by orgjunkie.com*

Typical Tuesdays

I just finished my late lunch of leftover borscht and cheese bread and thought I'd sit down for a couple minutes and share my to-do list for today.

This morning I went grocery shopping, which took a VERY long time, thanks to me losing the very detailed grocery list somewhere in Walmart before I had even hit the grocery store! Oops. However, I was pretty excited to use some coupons on a few things I needed to get anyway (a new razor for me, baby cereal, facial tissue, and freezer bags!) Plus, it was Customer Appreciation Day at one of the grocery stores, which meant I saved an extra 10% off, which was nice! Yes, I do love my coupons! :-)

Anyway, last night was a pretty terrible night. Our baby is recovering from some type of cold or flu, so she has been up lots in the night. Last night I was up about 8 times with her (every hour!). So, this morning, I got up at about 9 a.m., dressed and fed the baby, put a load of laundry into the washer, and then got ready to go out grocery shopping. I got home from grocery shopping around lunch time.

Here are my regular Tuesday tasks:

• Clean all bathrooms thoroughly
• Clean tub/shower
• Wash daughter's laundry
  
• Wash bedding and light towels
• Fold and put away daughter's laundry
• Update budget
• Update/Organize Home Management Binder

Extras on my To-Do List today

• Grocery Shopping (I don't have a specific day for this, usually Monday or Tuesday, though)
• Finish putting away and organizing groceries
  
• Go for a walk outside with daughter
  
• Make up some homemade baby food to freeze (chicken & veggie mix, fruit)
  
• Cut up pineapple
  
• Put family pictures in frames
• Jog on treadmill
• Work on organizing pictures box
  

In the evening right before I got to bed, I read the Bible and sometimes a bit from another book. I may or may not get everything done on my list today, but usually by the time I go to sleep, most things have been crossed off. Now...I better go tackle that list! :-)

Menu Plan Monday (April 5)

Last week most things on my menu did not get made because we were busy with family gatherings and visiting friends. It was a very nice week catching up with friends and also seeing some family that we don't see all that often.

Sunday, April 4
Potato Soup

Monday, April 5
Beef Borscht (Ethnic Mennonite soup, Great Grandma's recipe), homemade cheddar cheese bread

Tuesday, April 6
Leftover soup and bread

Wednesday, April 7
Chicken Quesadillas (using leftover Chili lime shredded chicken from freezer), carrot sticks

Thursday, April 8
Teriyaki Salmon over rice, strawberry spinach salad

Friday, April 9
Tuscan Pizza, (or all dressed) Caesar salad

Saturday, April 10
Leftover pizza

*For more meal ideas, visit Menu Plan Monday hosted by orgjunkie.com*

Resurrection Day

For a bit of an explanation as to why our family does not celebrate "Easter" in the way it is commonly celebrated today, you can read this.

Update**Also, you can read this. **

Christ's atoning work on Calvary's cross and the fact that He rose triumphantly from the grave should be on the forefront of the believer's mind every day. Our family does take time, however, to especially celebrate this during the same time many people do the "Easter thing". We prefer to refer to this day as Resurrection Day.

Isaiah 53 is an Old Testament prophecy, which speaks of our Lord Jesus Christ, who fulfilled it. Jesus made intercession for us to God through His payment for our sins on the cross. By placing our faith in Jesus Christ alone, we can be reconciled to God through Jesus Christ. To read more about how you can be saved, go here.

¹Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?

²For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

³He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

⁴Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

⁵But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

⁶All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

⁷He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

⁸He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

⁹And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

¹⁰Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

¹¹He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

¹²Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

We have hope today because Jesus rose from the dead!

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 1 Peter 1:3

Christ the Lord is risen today. Alleluia!

I plead with you to consider what the Lord Jesus Christ has done. Have you placed your faith in Christ alone? If not, Christ is knocking at the door of your heart; will you invite Him in? Stop trusting in your church institution, stop trusting in your works, stop trusting in your baptism, stop trusting in your traditions and rituals. Repent from your sin, and place your faith in Christ alone for your salvation.