Table Traditions ♥ Simple Vegetable Soup & Homemade Yeast Biscuits

It's time for another soup and bread post!

Last week, I shared two recipes from my teenage years and today I'm back with two more. The first being Simple Vegetable Soup. This is a recipe that I came up with after playing around with many that I had found online. I basically just combined all our favorite veggies and made a soup out of them. The Italian seasoning is the perfect flavor in this soup and it comes together in no time at all. Just leave it to simmer in the late afternoon and check it every so often to see if it needs more broth or water. This recipe is also special to me because it was the first one I had published in a Gooseberry Patch cookbook several years ago. {{smiles}}

And the second oldie-but-goodie recipe for today are our homemade yeast biscuits. I learned about this recipe when I was probably sixteen or seventeen years old and my mom and I were watching one of our favorite cooking shows. It's a simple way to make biscuits and the secret is to make sure you melt the butter in the pan as the oven preheats and to dip each biscuit's bottom into the melted butter before placing them in the pan. That truly makes for a crispy, yummy biscuit bottom. These are not the traditional, southern-style flaky biscuits, but rather almost a roll-like biscuit. Nonetheless, they are delicious and pair perfectly with my homemade apple butter. (Recipe HERE.)

Happy cooking!

 

Simple Vegetable Soup

Combine all of the following ingredients in a stockpot:

2 cans diced tomatoes

1 can kidney beans- drained and rinsed

1 can green beans- drained

1 can corn- drained

1 can diced potatoes- drained

1 small can sliced mushrooms- drained

1 can peas- drained

1 cup frozen lima beans

3 carrots- peeled and diced

1/2 onion- diced

1/2 cup celery- diced

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

salt and pepper to taste

4 cups vegetable broth, plus more as needed

Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Allow the soup to cook for at least one hour. Stir every so often and check to see if you need to add more vegetable broth. 

Serve and enjoy!

Homemade Yeast Biscuits

In a large mixing bowl, combine the following:

2 1/4 tsp. yeast

5 cups flour

3 tsp. baking powder

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

Meanwhile, place 1 stick of butter in a 9x13 inch baking pan. Place in the oven as it preheats to 350*F and allow the butter to melt in the pan.

Coming back to the dry ingredients...whisk together to combine thoroughly. Then cut in 12 Tbsp. cold, cubed butter into the flour mixture with a pastry blender until the mixture reaches a crumbly texture. 

Pour in 2 cups buttermilk and stir until just combined. Gently press the dough out with your hand on a lightly floured surface to about 1/2 inch thick. Cut into biscuits until you use up all the dough. 

Remove the baking pan from the oven and dip each biscuit in the melted butter before placing it in the pan to bake.

Bake at 350*F for about 15-18 minutes, or until the bottoms are nicely browned and the tops are just beginning to get color on them. 

Serve and enjoy!

Mission: Making a Cozy Atmosphere

Stay at home, my heart, and rest, homekeeping hearts are happiest.

-Longfellow-

A cozy home is the kind of home that sounds most appealing and welcoming to me. While coziness is totally a realistic thing for all year round, there's something about autumn and winter that just make a home all the more cozy. It's this time of year when we feel more inspired to light candles and hang twinkly fairy lights and pour mugs of hot chocolate at night. I believe the mission to make a cozy atmosphere is a good one and it brings lots of fun, too. Today I have gathered some thoughts that I have shared previously in hopes that you might be inspired to make your home a cozy haven.

"I am such a seasonal person. I count down to the day when I can bring out my sweaters and scarves and boots and leggings and coats and cozy pajamas. I love gathering all my cozy-scented candles, which have been hiding since Spring came. Digging out all the pumpkin decorations and the scarecrows is simply the best. Deciding on the perfect spot in the yard for a few fresh pumpkins or pots of mums and placing mini pumpkins on the ledge above our front door is yet another sign that a season of glorious, slow beauty is upon us."

(Read more here: An Autumnal Pace)

"Making your home a haven can sound like a daunting task, but let me assure you that you don't need an interior design degree in order to create a beautiful, peaceful, inviting, warm place. You are simply creating a space that welcomes you in from the cold, sometimes harsh outside world, and whispers to you, calling with peace, calmness, and enjoyment. Even the person who feels challenged with design and home decor can easily succeed in making such a place. It just takes a little creativity, some imagination, and a sincere heart's desire to make such a place for you and your family.:

(Read more here: Creating a Haven of Rest, Beauty & Love)

"Autumn holds so much within its grasp...beauty, wonder, magic, warmth, invitation, coziness. Upon the first cool, crisp morning, my heart feels lighter and I am more myself than I've been for months. Summer just isn't my favorite; autumn, however, reawakens something deep within my soul. It causes me to remember the things I most love and value. I could sit here and list many things that I most anticipate about autumn...but I've chosen a select handful, or two, to share today. I'd love to invite you to find a cozy chair to squish down into and brew a cuppa for yourself of the most delectable, warm and spicy hot tea you can find...light a candle or pop some seasonal blends into your diffuser. Get comfy and settle in...we're about to count just a few of the blissful bits and bobs of autumn!"

(Read more here: Blissful Autumnal Bits & Bobs)

"Our home is full of coziness...from warm, thick blankets casually draped over the back of the couch and spicy scented essential oils creating a comforting scent wafting through the air, there are ample tastes of coziness everywhere I turn in our home. Candles flickering and cups of tea in hand, bookshelves filled to overflowing with books of all sorts, and stacks of movies to watch whilst curled up on the couch, fuzzy socks on and the lights dimmed low. Shelves of board games and decks of cards invite you to sit at the little table we have placed beside the fireplace for an evening of games, laughter and warmth by the fireside. Soups and stews simmering on the stovetop all afternoon long and bread rising waiting to be kneaded and shaped into loaves of beauty and heavenly flavor.  Soft and sweet lighting creates a peaceful atmosphere and ambience as opposed to the harsh white light that is almost blinding. And favorite medleys and tunes are playing in the background, making whatever you are doing all the more fun...even cleaning. Yes, even cleaning."

(Read more here: Keeping a Cozy Home)

~ Some simple ideas to make your home cozy ~

♥ change our your lamp lights from white to amber, and use a lower wattage as well

♥ invest in an oil diffuser and always have some blend diffusing

♥ make a warm, spicy scented room spray...here's my favorite

♥ make dinner time special by lighting candles and dimming the lights

♥ keep calming music playing in the background...for us, this doesn't always mean soft, slow music, but rather, uplifting Irish/Celtic tunes

♥ take every opportunity you can during these cooler months to allow your dinner to simmer on the stovetop all afternoon...soups, stews, chilis, etc., or even roast a chicken

♥ make comfort food often (it doesn't have to be unhealthy!)...pot pies, homemade bread, etc.

♥ drink lots and lots of hot tea and cider and cocoa and coffee...have fun making different homemade recipes similar to the ones you find in coffee shops

♥ games nights, movie nights, marathon nights of your favorite TV shows

♥ have plenty of blankets and quilts handy...keeping them out makes them easy to grab and they add such a cozy, homey look to any room

♥ keep your coats, scarves, hats and gloves easily accessible so you will be encouraged to go outside more often

♥ purpose to enjoy nights of crafting...whether it be painting, knitting, sewing, crocheting, paper crafting, scrapbooking, journaling, etc.

♥ or enjoy family game nights and try learning new games as well as playing old favorites

♥ purpose to broaden your horizons when it comes to cooking and baking from scratch...I can't think of a better time to learn a new kitchen skill than this time of year, or simply enjoy a skill you already have practiced

♥ read, read, read...curl up with a good book and be transported to another place...and learn something new, too

♥ set up a drink corner in your kitchen with an electric kettle, mugs, sugar, and a variety of teas, coffees, hot chocolate and spiced cider

♥ decorate for the season and holidays...decorations are not clutter

♥ hang twinkly fairy lights and bring a bit of whimsy and magic to a room

♥ have a seasonal tea party...see our autumn tea party from last year HERE

 

 What are your favorite ways to bring coziness into your home this time of year? Share your ideas below and let's inspire one another!

♥

 

For the Love of Cooking ♥ A Collection of Recipes

Cheery Saturday greetings, dear friends!

As the evenings draw in earlier and the air is crisp and leaves dance in the streets, I am ever more inspired to get in the kitchen. I crave warming foods such as chicken and dumplings or a chicken pot pie, a hearty chili or beef stew, veggie soup or a roasted chicken dinner with all the trimmings. I get a hankering for a nice, thick slice of homemade bread slathered with butter or biscuits fresh from the oven with strawberry jam or maple butter. I love those kinds of meals that simmer on the stovetop all afternoon long in a cast-iron Dutch oven and just make the house smell beyond amazing! 

Autumn and winter are definitely my favorite times of year to be in the kitchen. Spring and summer have their own charms, but there's just something about being in a kitchen when it's cold outside and even better if it's raining or snowing out the window...that's bliss to me. 

  Collecting recipes has been a hobby of mine since I was a young teenager. I got my first cookbook for my eighth birthday from my grandparents. It was a Betty Crocker kids cookbook and I still have it. I was always helping my mom in the kitchen as a young girl and then when I was fourteen, that's when the cooking and baking bug really hit. I became obsessed and started my own recipe collection through subscribing to several food magazines and getting cookbooks at my birthday or Christmas or when I would go to a bookshop. Now, over a decade later, my collection is quite large, but it continues to grow all the time. 

  Cookbooks are one of my most favorites! I have a large collection, most of which I got at the second-hand bookshop for less than five dollars each. Some, however, we just a few quarters each! Those deals I just can't pass up, especially when it's a cookbook line or author that I know I love. My favorites include Taste of Home, which I collect each year and have been able to fill in nearly all the books going back to 1999 thanks to great deals at the secondhand shop; Gooseberry Patch is another one that I collect and I've been delighted to have a few of my own recipes included in several of their books; and then I also love collecting books by favorite authors such as Mary Berry and Trisha Yearwood and a few others. Special-occasion books or holiday books or other ones along those lines are also fun additions. I received a Gilmore Girls cookbook for Christmas a few years back and along with a Little Women and Anne of Green Gables book that I have absolutely loved going through.

Cookbooks are more than just a collection of recipes to me. They're full of inspiration and add fire to my imagination and give me countless ideas not only for cooking the recipes they share but also coming up with my own recipes. I read them as one reads books and find such pleasure in doing so. In my room, I have two walls of bookshelves- one for novels, biographies, nonfiction favorites, series, etc. and the other is for cookbooks. 

Magazines and other subscriptions have also been a wonderful way to grow my recipe collection. And of course, you can't forget the internet! I am always copying or printing recipes from online. These recipes, from magazines and online sources, are added to one of my fat, bursting at the seams, notebooks. I just punch holes in the pages or slip them into sheet protectors and add them to my notebook. I think at the moment I have three of these notebooks going. My notebooks are divided into categories... soups and salads, breads, breakfasts, muffins and rolls, main dishes, sides and veggies, beverages, cakes, cookies and bars, etc. There are special sections for autumn/Halloween/Thanksgiving, Christmas, homemade cleaners, from scratch (sauces, dressings, seasonings, etc.), pets, etc. Then, on top of that, I have separate smaller notebooks for vegan/vegetarian recipes, tea party recipes and ideas, and cozy foods for autumn and winter. 

As you can see, I am just a bit obsessed with collecting recipe sand am passionate about growing my collection. I love cooking and baking and trying new recipes, along with making my own creations. In our home, we meal plan every two weeks and it's always a mixture of favorites and new recipes to try. My mom and I do most of the cooking and we share the same love for cookbooks and recipes...it's from her that I learned to love being in the kitchen and was inspired to start my own collection after seeing and helping her with her own collection all my childhood. She has a large shoebox filled with recipe cards, divided much the same way I do my notebooks. And there are shelves in our kitchen and sunroom with her cookbook collection. They're also something we love picking up on our travels as special keepsakes from places we've been. We've got a collection from Amish country in Pennsylvania, the Smoky Mountains, Ireland, New Jersey/New York and New England...so far. 

Cooking is a way of expressing love for those you love and there are few ways better to do so than by preparing a homecooked meal with love and thought and care. These are the ways that we love to grow our recipe collections, but I'd love to hear how you gather a collection. Do share below! What are your favorite foods to enjoy this time of year? Does your cooking change with the seasons, or it is basically the same all-year-round? 

Happy cooking, dear ones!

♥

Slow & Simple Homemaking ♥ Gently Tending to Your Home

Homemaking is a gift. It's a way to express love for your family and home, and yourself, too. It's a sacred calling and a worthy, important line of work. It is a lifelong career and a pleasure. Yet, lies from the enemy and our culture tells us that homemaking is a burden or curse. That is it a waste of time and only fit for a brainless woman. The truth is, it's the complete opposite of that. It is far from a waste of time and it is a most worthy career choice. It is not a burden or curse, but a blessing and a gift and a joy. And, finally, those who delight in the work of homemaking are intelligent, creative, resourceful, clever, imaginative, among many other traits.

This week has sort of focused on homemaking here at my Inglenook. I didn't plan out the posts this way, but I was just inspired to share on this topic these past few days. Homemaking is something that is near and dear to my heart and I am incredibly passionate about the work of making, keeping and tending a home. On top of that, I believe that the home is the center of the cozy life. I believe there is tremendous joy and beauty and wonder to be found in the world of home. I believe that the work done there is sacred and holy and beautiful. And I wish to encourage fellow homemakers in their calling.

In living a slower, softer, gentler life, you quickly find that when you slow down and do things in a gentler manner, not rushing about or hurrying about, you will actually get far more done in the long run. It is only when you slow down that you can actually get anything done well. When we are trying to do ten things at once and are hurrying through each task, nothing is getting done well. And there is little to no delight to be found when one is rushing about. But when you take your time and are present with the task you are working on, you not only get it done well, you can actually find delight, even in the most "mundane" task. 

 

The slower, gentler way brings change to the way you clean and tend to a home in that way. But it also brings change to the way you prepare food and enjoy a mealtime around your table. "There is something so sacred about taking the time to prepare the food and making a whole ceremony out of it. Ther is this notion that we have to constantly be on the go, always busy, chasing this or that all the time, but we can't realize or appreciate the simplicity of just simple, everyday living. And then making that simple, everyday living quite unique and special."

 Living slower and gentler affects every aspect of your life. You are able to truly see, taste, hear, feel and smell everything that is around you. It is only when you slow down that you can become alive to the beauty, wonder and splendour of the world. "We are doing so many things and multitasking, but we're not actually efficiently doing one thing. Say no. Focus on what you're doing in the present moment. You'll actually be doing the things better when you slow down and you'll be able to see more clearly." The secret to truly living is to slow down and savour, to live gently and to notice, to live softly and be kind to yourself and others. This is also living simply because you are only saying yes to the things that are worth your time and energy and only those things that are lifegiving and important and meaningful. When we say no to all those other things, distractions and temptations, we can truly and fully invest in that which is good and beautiful in our lives. 

Homemaking is one of those good and beautiful things. One of those things that we should want to heavily invest ourselves in. And it doesn't have to be something you dread or think of as a burden. When we root ourselves in gratitude, our hearts change and our perspective s are refreshed and we see, even the cleaning chores, as a blessing to our family, ourselves and our homes. I once heard that cleaning and tidying a home is self-care to the home, and I really liked that perspective. Cleaning doesn't have to be a chore; instead, it can be something that you are grateful you get to do. It can even be relaxing and peaceful if it is kept simple and done gently. "Be grateful instead of looking at it as a chore or burdensome task. If you do a little bit often, you'll have much less work to do than if you let it go and get out of hand. It's not about how clean your house is or how much you clean the house, but about the care you put into what you do in your home. Be present and give thanks as you go."

Dear ones, may you see homemaking as the gift it is. May your slow down and savour and live gently so you can notice the beauty in front of you. May you see the value and purpose in the small things you do in hidden corners. May you plant your hearts in gratitude so they can be transformed as you go about caring and tending to your home. And may you find delight, pleasure, magic and wonder in the grand world of home!

♥

*Quotes from Niamh of Fairyland Cottage.* 

The Lost Art of Living Softly & Slowly

Autumn is a time when we are reminded of what it means to live beautifully. The earth is covered in a blanket of vividly colored leaves, squirrels are rummaging through trees and gardens gathering their nuts for the winter, and the shorter days are inviting us to slow down. So much of life can be lived in the fast lane, always hustling about to and fro, always seeking after this next best thing or that one, and sometimes even comparing our lives to the lives of others. Autumn reminds us that we don't need to fall into those traps and webs and instead can choose the better path of slower, simpler, softer, and gentler living.

I've shared many times here before about my growing up years and how my mom made it a top priority that my sister and I had a proper childhood, not a rushed one and not one in which we were always being thrown from one activity to the next. We had a childhood filled with imagination and fun and play and make-believe and good, old-fashioned fun. As an adult, the same ideas are implemented, but just in a few different ways. But the general idea of a slower, simpler, softer and gentler life are still there just as much as they always were, if not more so. It's only within the past couple of years that I have come to see it as a sacred way of life as well.

A soft and slow life is a good life. And it is possible wherever you live. My family and I live on half-an-acre in a neighborhood in the suburbs, and we've always had neighbours and homes all around us. While I admit to dreaming of a life in the countryside surrounded by nature and trees and critters instead of people, I am learning that until that comes to be, I can still live a soft and slow life right here, right now. Somethings may look different from those who do live surrounded by nature and not houses and people, but the general ideas still are shared. This life is not about rules, nor following trends or sticking to some specific blueprint. While I use the term "soft and slow" it does not imply any sort of strict adherence to any specific lifestyle according to what any person or group may say. It is a life of journeying freely and wandering quietly and living slowly and softly and gently so as not to miss anything beautiful. It's inviting magic into my ordinary days and seeing that even the most ordinary of moments has the possibility to be something wonderful. It's a constant turning back to the sparkly-eyed, wonder-filled aspects of childhood. And no, it's not perfect or always how I thought it would be, but it's a journey that if lifelong, not some destination you reach in a handful of days or months.

Practicing a softer, slower way of life can be done in so many ways. Far too many to count and certainly far too many to mention here today. But I would like to share a few that are meaningful to me.

Slow cooking is an art that I am falling in love with more and more every day. Today far too many people are just too busy and lives are too hectic to even cook a homemade meal in the evenings. Folks are too busy to chop their own onions and measure their own spices that they have resorted to buying overpriced meal subscription boxes. And on top of that, the skill of cooking is lost on some people. You don't need to be a gourmet chef; I'm certainly not. But I do think it is imperative that every person know how to cook for themselves...eating, after all, is a need in order to survive. I love using my time in the kitchen to slow down and really enjoy the process. I find such pleasure in chopping a variety of veggies and heating up the oil and listening to that sizzling sound of them sauteing in the hot pan. Then adding flour and water and yeast and a few other ingredients and seeing them come together to make a bread dough. Gently kneading the dough by hand and feeling it work together and finally placing it in the pan and watching it slowly, slowly rise higher and higher. Of course, the baking of bread means that our home smells heavenly and it tastes scrumptious, too! Allowing soups or stews to simmer in the afternoon into the evening, or preparing a pot pie or stir fry and trying new recipes and learning new skills...it's all part of making cooking fun and something that I love even more than I did before.

Taking the time to enjoy nature and really seeing what is right in front of your eyes. My Grandpa always called it "shooting the breeze" and was a lover of going on a "cruise" which simply meant on a drive. It was something he did nearly every day after he retired, and always with a camera in hand. Always. We've always loved just going in our own garden and sitting in chairs and listening to the sounds of birds chirping and seeing squirrels chase each other through the trees. Nature is healing for the body, mind and soul and I know that when I haven't been outside in a few days, I begin to feel it and my body is begging me for some fresh air and to just soak up the beauty that the earth holds. 

Your home should tell the story of who you are and be a collection of what you love.

 Simple living does not equal minimalism, which is simply a passing trend that places unnecessary guilt upon too many people. In no way does getting rid of all your possessions and having a cold, bare home mean that you are living simply, nor does it mean that you will be free from stress and somehow find more happiness. Nor is minimalism next to godliness. Rather simple living means that you find happiness in the simple things in life. And yes, your possessions can bring you happiness...they are not idols or stress-causers. And I am not a person who finds empty white walls, bare surfaces, capsule wardrobes of a set number of articles of clothing, and no personal touches a cozy life or home. (If that is your personal taste, more power to ya.) Minimalism kills individuality and creativity...so many minimalists wardrobes and homes look the exact same, it's ridiculously funny. I think that a lot of people who practice minimalism are doing so simply because it is a trend and popular and the thing to do, but when the next trend comes along, they'll be right there first in line to jump on board. Being a non-minimalist doesn't mean you are materialistic or a heavy spender or a hoarder. I might even say some of those things could be true for lots of minimalists.

A perfectly kept home is the sign of a misspent life.

-Mary Randolph Carter-

Simple living finds happiness and delight in sitting on the porch in the evening and having long chats after dinner. It's reading a novel before bed or baking fresh bread in the morning. It finds goodness in the world of home and yet also sees the beauty of the grand world waiting for you to explore. It's making tasks like cleaning and tidying a home enjoyable and fun. Simple living is really that...it's simple. It cultivates beauty in the ordinary, everyday rhythms of our lives and seeks to create abundance within those moments. As my sister says, a home filled with things that some might call clutter is simply the evidence of a life lived there. A home should tell the story of those who live there and that is only possible when you reject the trend of minimalism. As a favorite quote says, "a home should feel collected not decorated."

Clutter is the poetry of our homes. It is an intimate view that is not always perfect- a few dishes in the sink, books piled next to the bed. A lived-in room exudes comfort and warmth.

-Mary Randolph Carter-

Slower and softer living doesn't mean you live a small life without adventure and fun and ever going anywhere further than 30 miles from your home. Not at all. I'm a firm believer that this world is beautiful and magical and full of wonder and we were meant to go see it. But even that is done in such a way that you don't miss the beauty you set out to see in the first place. It's living in such a way that you appreciate the things that truly matter in life. You live with a desire to be alive to the beauty of the world and are in pursuit of such beauty, cultivating it, seeking it and cherishing it. It's living with your senses attuned to what's around you so you can soak up the moments and be present and allow the magic to transform your perspectives. It's living in such a way that you are tending and nurturing your body, mind and soul, along with those around you...in gentle ways. It's having rhythms and rituals everyday that allow you to see the beauty in the ordinary...even in the midst of daily tasks, household activities, and yes, even in spite of the news around the world. It's seeing the world as the enchanted place it is and becoming reenchanted ourselves, despite what the cynics would have us to believe, both about the world and ourselves. It's about truly living and being grateful for every moment and striving to live as wild and free and magically as we were created to.

 I'd love to hear how you seek to live softly and slowly in your everyday life, so please share below and let's inspire one another.

May your day be magical, dear ones!

♥

Cultivating a Haven of Peace & Comfort

When you think of homemaking and the type of home you wish to create, what comes to mind? When you ponder the sort of atmosphere you wish your home to have, what is it? When you close your eyes, what does your dream home look like? Not in terms of decorating style or size or ideal location, but practically, in terms of the feel of the home and the type of life you wish for it to hold.

Homemaking is a big part of the gentle, cozy life. In it, we are journeying on the ever-exciting adventure of homemaking and seeking beauty in ordinariness, purpose in the hidden places and value in small things. I like to call it a "taste and see" kind of homemaking. I shared a bit about this earlier this year and you can read my post HERE is you wish. But, in a nutshell, it's homemaking done in such a way that love and goodness can be tasted and seen in the home, including the ordinary tasks and days.

 This perspective helps remind us that we are always treading on sacred ground, everywhere we turn is a holy place. As the above quote says, homemaking must be more than just a domestic task, it must be seen as part of the most important work. Therefore, it has tremendous value and purpose and eternal worth. And that right there has the power to change how one views the work done at home. It is sacred work.

My response to the questions I asked at the beginning of this post would include the following:

I dream of a home that is welcoming from the moment you walk through the door. The type of home where you feel comfortable from the start...where you just want to settle in on the couch or gather around in the kitchen and have hours of conversation and laughter. I want a home that is peace-filled and warm with love and compassion. A place where you are surrounded by the ones you love most. A calm, gentle atmosphere, where loads of fun is had and where you laugh so hard your stomach hurts. I want a home that feels cozy and inviting and just feels like home in a way that words can't really describe.

For the most part, that is the type of home I've known all my life. I've never been a person who hated being with my family and as a child, I always brought friends over to my house. It was the place we wanted to be and even where my friends felt comfortable, sometimes even more than their own homes. My mom has always placed her highest priority on her home and family and it has shown in both great and small ways. 

Cultivating a haven of peace and comfort is one of the many ways to express the "taste and see" kind of homemaking. Everyone's own unique creative ideas and personal tastes will make their homes as special as they are, but I want to offer some ideas and encouragement here to get you thinking. 

 

Homecooked meals and candles lit at dinner time. Music playing in the background or while doing daily tasks. Windows with curtains drawn back so the sunshine can be welcomed in. Bread baking in the oven, mugs of hot chocolate being poured and popcorn popping on the stovetop. Books piled high on shelves and tables along with blankets and pillows on the furniture. Flowers in a vase on the table or mantle. A fire lit in the hearth. Laundry drying on the line. Beautiful pictures hanging on the walls, both of loved ones and places you love and art you admire. Carefully chosen decorations and treasures displayed throughout the house. Inviting colors on the walls. Rooms full of things that tell the stories of the ones who live there. Pets running around the house and curled up on rocking chairs. The soft glow of warmly lit lamps on end tables. 

The art of creating a beautiful home doesn't depend on the size of your home, or whether or not it's in your ideal location, or if you have tons of money to go shopping all the time to buy new things, or if your home is filled with second-hand treasures. It doesn't matter if you live in a one-bedroom apartment in the city or a farmhouse with a huge porch in the countryside or a two-story Cape Cod in a neighborhood in the suburbs. It doesn't matter if you have children or not, whether you're single or married. The art of creating a beautiful home is possible wherever you are. And you have the power to do just that. With a heart bent towards home, a hearty dose of creativity, courage and passion and excitement, and lots of laughter, gentleness, and imagination. 

Any home is completely capable of becoming a haven. Any person is capable of creating it to be just the way they dream. You don't need to wait until you're finally in your dream home or until you have the perfect furniture or just the right size home. It's not wrong or bad to dream of those things and even to work towards them...I think it's good and beautiful to dream of making your special place in the world. But until you get there, you don't need to stop living or put your homemaking on hold. These days right now are important too. They're part of your story and journey and are steps along the way that will lead you to where you are going. 

So, my friend, what is your dream for homemaking?

 

Invest in your home and create the place you want to be. Close your eyes and envision how you want to feel when you walk through your front door. Even if your home is already lovely, there are always small things we can do to add bits of beauty here and there. Your home should be welcoming and inviting and full of warmth for those you invite in, but it should also be that way for your family and you...really, even more so.

May God bless you as you seek to cultivate beautiful, peace-filled, comfortable havens out of your homes!

♥

Table Traditions ♥ Comfort Broccoli Cheddar Soup & Honey Butter Biscuits

A lifegiving table, like a lifegiving home, doesn't just happen- it is intentionally cultivated and created. Like a beautiful musical composition, its elements must be carefully arranged, thoughtfully directed, and passionately played in order for the music to fulfill its purpose.

~ Sally Clarkson ~

Happy Monday, dear friends!

I am sharing a real family favorite here today! Broccoli cheddar soup has been one of my favorite since I was a young girl. I would often order it at restaurants, but as a teenager, I learned how to make it at home and my goodness! It is so delicious...even more so that at a restaurant! This particular recipe is perfect in our book...the flavors really complement one another so well and it's not too cheesy, a problem we had with so many others. I love leaving the broccoli florets whole, in bite-sized pieces, but you could easily pop this soup into a blender and make it smooth, which may be preferable for young children at your table. I know that was true for me when I was little.

And this week's bread selection is another recipe from my teenage years...honey butter biscuits. We had been given a packaged mix for these biscuits one year at Christmas and once we baked them, we just knew we wanted to eat them again. I scoured the internet for the perfect recipe and after trying several and making a few adjustments here and there, we finally have our perfect recipe. The honey flavor is subtle and they taste especially good straight out of the oven. Although, if you wanted an extra bit of honey, you can make a super simple honey butter by mixing a few tablespoons of honey into softened butter. Trust me, that's delicious, too...on just about anything!

Bon Appétit!

 

Comfort Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Melt 4 Tbsp. butter in a stockpot and saute 1/2 cup chopped onion until tender. Add in 1/2 tsp. minced garlic and continue to saute for a few more minutes. Then, add in the following:

4 cups broccoli florets, chopped into bite-sized pieces

2 carrots, finely chopped

3 cups chicken broth

2 cups half and half or milk

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. pepper

Bring to a low boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for about 15-20 minutes or until everything is tender. 

Mix together 1/4 cup cornstarch and 1/4 cup chicken broth. Whisk to make a slurry and stir into the soup. Continue to stir over a simmering heat until the soup thickens. 

Stir in 1-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, depending on your preference, adding more or less cheese to suit your taste. 

Serve and enjoy! 

Honey Butter Biscuits

Mix the following together in a large mixing bowl:

2 cups flour

1 tsp. salt

3 tsp. baking powder

Using a pastry blender, cut in 6 Tbsp. cold, cubed butter until the mixture reaches a crumbly texture. 

Add in: 

2 Tbsp. honey

1 cup milk

Stir gently to combine. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto a greased baking sheet tray. Bake at 425*F for about 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown and slightly crispy on the bottom.

Serve and enjoy!