This blog served me for several years.  It still serves me as I go through the times and recipes quite often. 

I needed a fresh start so instead of coming back here or even deleting this one I began a new blog.  It will include my soaps that I am from all natural ingredients with no animal products.

Please stop by!  Take a look around.  Leave a comment, follow by email and be sure to check out what soaps I have available.

Cheers!
Angela

http://henandchicksblog.blogspot.com/

What's in the fridge night

You know what I am talking about right?  The night you haven't planned anything so you look in the fridge and just throw something together.  We get a box of organic fruits and veggies once a week at our house.  It is so nice to know I have that to count on.  The thing about it is though is you never know what is in the box until you get it.  It sure makes you think outside the box (pun intended). 

Menu for tonight:
Left over chicken from a whole chicken last night
coconut rice
homemade applesauce
cabbage soup

We got a head of red cabbage in the box so I made a pot of soup with it.  I started with homemade chicken stock and added thinly sliced red cabbage, green onions and diced mushrooms.  A great way to start a meal on this windy, blustery night. 

In case you are around here and run out of your own garden supply or are just interested in ordering organic veggies locally here are the websites where we order from.  If you order please do tell them I sent you!  Angela Czepinski

Brunos Organics

Timber Creek Farms

Wheat-Free Baked Pears

I know there is a line drawn for gluten intolerance folks to either consume or not consume oats.  Our family does eat them as long as I get organic oats.  The rumor is if they are organic they "should" not be contaminated by wheat.  Since we are not celiac we take the chance. 

This morning I made baked pears as I had 5 of them that were on the hard side. 
In a skillet cook over medium heat about 6 minutes:
1/2 cup honey
the juice of 2 mandarin oranges
pinch of salt
stick of cinnamon
1 vanilla bean seeded

When it thickens add 5 peeled, cored and sliced pears.  Cook until thicker and soft about 10 minutes.  Take out cinnamon stick and transfer to an oven safe dish.  Top with:
3/4 cup oats
2 tbsp ground flax seed
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Drizzle 2 tbsp of melted butter over the top and bake at 350 until bubbly. 

Since this was breakfast and not dessert I served it with a couple fresh scrambled eggs in butter.  If this was dessert you could top it with ice cream or fresh yogurt.

Reconnecting

Reconnecting
to link or be linked together again

My son reminded me that I have a blog last night.  He even found it and left a comment so I would go and read it!  I love him.  He is why I am reconnecting.  When I first started this blog it was called A Year In The Life...centered around a yearly menu in our home.  After that year it changed and I began to blog about food and other things hence the name change to My Life In Which He Has Placed Me.  School started and in our home that meant me being the teacher I just didn't have much time left.  I also teach a literature class in our local co-op and a watercolor class in our home every other week.  Music lessons, church, AWANA...you get the picture.  Along with all of that comes cheating.  Cheating in our food choices.  My youngest has asthma that is gluten and environmental induced. 

I have a cook book that I made a few years ago.  I scrapbooked each page and added our tried and true recipes to it.  It is an heirloom.  Sadly, many of the recipes are for sugar cookies, homemade whole wheat bread, pancakes, gluten laden favorites.  Sometimes to me a gluten free diet seems impossible because it takes planning and when you are first starting out and you have 3 very hungry boys waiting for dinner you just need a tried and true recipe.  That is what this next year is going to be.  The food changes but the name remains!  I won't be making my own cookbook or anything I will just share with you our menus and how they turned out.  Isn't that what we want to know how they turn out?  Are they good enough to add to our cookbook?

Come along for the journey.  We will have success! 

Now that I have started I must tell you something.  We are traveling back to Alabama for Thanksgiving so I won't be posting.  However, I will leave you with a couple recipes I posted before.  The Thanksgiving table can be concurred with some smart choices like, turkey or ham, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, cranberry relish.  You can even if it is family take along some arrowroot powder steal some of the pan drippings and make a bit of homemade gravy for the potatoes!  The dessert table is where your heart will be mislead.  You will feel like it just isn't fair, like you are deprived.  This is not the truth.  You can have dessert.  Make yourself a few cookies to take along and share that way you are sure to have some gluten free choices. 

No Bake Cookies - for us as long as we use organic oats we are fine.
Peanut Butter Cookies

Happy Thanksgiving.
Love,
Angela

Zucchini - Overgrown Ones to Be Exact

“Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie.”

Seriously.  How can you go out to pick zucchini one day and not 8 days later you have 8, foot long zucchini starving the life right out of your plants?  I know, 8 days is the problem here not the zucchini.  But can I just say seriously again???

So what do you do with them?  It happens to every gardener.  They are very good at hiding.  The first thing to remember is they can be used.  You will have to cut them in half and scoop out the seeds first.  The chickens will love these!  Then grate them in a food processor.  Let them drain a good 10 minutes in a drainer, pack them in freezer bags by 2 cups.  Lay them flat and press out all the air and stick them in your freezer.  You can use this to make zucchini bread and I won't bore you with another zucchini bread recipe but I will share a zucchini cornbread recipe.
Sweet Zucchini Cornbread
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cup cornmeal
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 t salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cup buttermilk
3 eggs
4 tbsp molasses
6 tbsp butter, melted
2 cups shredded zucchini, with extra moisture squeezed out
Preheat oven to 400F. Lightly grease a big cast iron skillet.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt and brown sugar.
In a medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk, egg, egg white, molasses and melted butter until smooth.
Pour buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture. Stir until just combined, add the zucchini and stir to evenly distribute. Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a tester comes out clean and the bread springs back when lightly pressed.
Allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove the bread to a wire rack.
Makes 9 pieces.

Savory Zucchini Cornbread
1 1/2 cups zucchini, coarsely chopped
1 cup milk
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 eggs
1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled
1 1/4 cups cornmeal
1 cup whole wheat flour or 1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon dried dill
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, shredded

1 Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Well grease a 10-inch cast-iron skillet, and place it into the oven while it preheats. (can use a 9x9 Pyrex pan but cast iron works better).

2 Place the zucchini, milk, onion, eggs, and melted butter into a blender, and blend until thoroughly mixed and the zucchini and onion have been chopped into very small pieces.

3 Mix together the cornmeal, flour, dill, baking powder, salt, pepper and cheddar cheese in a large bowl. Pour the zucchini mixture into the cornmeal mixture, stirring to combine.

4 Carefully pour the batter into the hot greased skillet, smooth it out with a spoon, and bake until the cornbread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30 - 40 minutes.

*Notice the smaller perfect sized zucchini compared to the one that is 2 feet long! 

Seriously!?

Estrogen Dominance

THE CAUSES OF ESTROGEN DOMINANCE

Strictly speaking, it's possible that we are all -- men, women and children -- suffering a little from estrogen dominance, because there is so much of it in our environment. You would have to virtually live in a bubble to escape the excess estrogens we're exposed to through pesticides, plastics, industrial waste products, car exhaust, meat, soaps and much of the carpeting, furniture and paneling that we live with indoors every day. You may have on-and-off sinus problems, headaches, dry eyes, asthma or cold hands and feet for example, and not know to attribute them to your exposure to xenohormones. Over time the exposure will cause more chronic problems such as arthritis and premenopause symptoms, and may be a direct or indirect cause of cancer.

This is part of an article regarding the effects of estrogen dominance in our bodies. What has this got to do with homemade soap? Well after some research and going through premenopause myself I have read that lavender and tea tree oil both mimic estrogen. So while I will still make lavender and tea tree soaps just know even good things can be over done. Don't just take my word for it, educate yourself.

Freezer Cooking

What comes to mind when you think freezer cooking?

Well if you were a child of the 70's you may think, "not another casserole!" Casseroles then fell out of fashion in the 1980's and 1990's. They are making a come back for many reasons. Mom's are out working more, homeschooling is becoming more mainstream, an increase in health awareness and I think a return to homesteading are all reasons why.

Several friends and I thought it would be a good idea to start small. Meaning not doing Once a Month Cooking in one day but to prepare 8 meals each in a day. We all just happen to be homeschooling moms who go to the same co-op so we know co-op days are full. Add in music lessons and the library and you could have drive through every co-op day. Instead we plan to cook every Monday until school starts so we will be able to pop a meal in the oven fresh from the freezer.

Yes I mean fresh. Only top ingredients here. I didn't want just a freezer meal void of all nutrition. I wanted healthy food. So I made a list of possible recipes and went from there. The first week we made stuffed cabbage and meat loaf. We used the recipe from The Maker's Diet that is full of whole ingredients. Stuffed cabbage was full of pastured beef and brown rice. We use whole food, organic ingredients.

Today we made Shepherd's Pie with pastured beef, organic carrots, mushrooms, onions, garlic, peas, organic potatoes, rice milk and good old butter. We also made meatballs full of organic spinach, Parmesan cheese, pastured eggs, pastured beef and pork and freshly made bread crumbs. We started at 9:00a.m. and were all cleaned up by 3:00. We ended up making 38 meals! Had 15 kids running around and grilled hot dogs.

Next week? Apple Betty's because who doesn't love dessert on a cool Autumn night? Breakfast and lunch burritos for those days we are running out the door or to pack in dad's lunch box.

I encourage you to get some friends together and start to plan your freezer cooking days. When you do please let me know how it goes and don't forget to share a recipe or two.



Raising Mighty Arrows

Another Use For Cucumbers

With 90 degree days upon us we always need to stay hydrated.  A tall glass of homemade lemonade is always quenching as is iced tea.  Hot days and gardens also bring cucumbers.  When planting that garden who can resist planting all those cucumber seeds that come in the seed packets?  You have dreamed about this garden all winter and when you get those seeds in your hands and the dirt is before you.  You just plant until your little heart is content.  Then...the cucumbers invade like an episode from the Twilight Zone.

Here is a simple yet enjoyable way to use a few extra cucumbers.  Fill up a quart canning jar with fresh water and add a few slices of cucumber and a couple leaves of basil.  You can sip on it all day long and the longer it sits the stronger it tastes.

You can also do this with fruit.  Raspberries and a lemon, blueberries and strawberries, peach and mint. 

What combinations sound good to you?



Raising Mighty Arrows

Vacation

Heather Deborah Weinberger, USA


SUMMER VACATION

Summer vacation, what does it mean?
The time when flowers spring and leaves turn green.
The time to go to the ocean shore
or some far away island to explore.
It's the time to go to a paradise.
Or just vacation anywhere tropical or nice.
Everyone is happy within
and upon their face there lies a grin.
In fact the only bad thing about summer
is that when it's over, it's such a bummer.



We are not going "away" this year but we are on vacation so I will be back in two weeks!  Adios!

A Rainy Day at the Czepinski Farm



Aurancan/Easter Egger



Golden Laced Wyandotte

Buttercup the resident rooster

Buttercup & the girls

Garden view

Zucchini

Kuri Squash

Swiss Chard

Green Bean flowers

Honey Crisp Apples we planted!

Lily (anyone know the name)

Grass & Hostas

Knock Out Roses

Daisy against my white picket fence

Hydrangea

Day 5 & 6 combined

Yesterday, today and tomorrow are busy, busy days.  Days where we leave the house by 7 and don't return until dinner.  So that means I have not been so great about watching what I eat and I am about honesty here so here we go!

Wednesday
Breakfast:  fried potatoes with 2 eggs on top, fresh orange & carrot juice
Lunch:  a few graham crackers and 2 handfuls of raw almonds
Dinner:  baked beans & meatballs
Snack:  cookie dough ice cream

Thursday
Breakfast:  sausage McMuffin cup of regular coffee that I felt sick from because I drink decaf
Lunch:  Albanese candy store ~ really
Dinner:  baked hamburger patty, baked sweet potato fries & steamed cauliflower
Snack:  candy

Do you ever crave greens when you have eaten a lot of sugar? I am craving a side of steamed kale right now!



Tomorrow I will try again ;) 
Teresa???  By the way, thanks for the accountability call today!  Love you.

Wednesday ~ Day 5 of 31

I am here but I'm not.  Lots going on but I really want to give you the opprotunity to share your day. 

How about it?  I'll be back later or tomorrow.

Tuesday ~ Day 4 of 31

Psalm 4:4
Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent.

There it is!  Why it works sometimes to send your kids to their rooms!  And ourselves too!  Sending them to their rooms helps in two ways.  First, it keeps them from sinning.  How many times have they sinned in their anger because they just don't stop the mouth?  Second, if they are willing to think about the situation and talk with God they can keep a soft heart.

Today was a nice day.  The 4th soap class I have held.  I had 3 friends and their kids over so we did more talking and walking around looking at the gardens than anything.  And with all the food around I didn't do to bad!

Breakfast:  1/2 cup of a fruit rice milk smoothie
Lunch:  chicken salad with tortilla chips, caprese salad, 2 corn flake crispy treats
Dinner:  black beans & rice with sweet Italian sausage

Exercise?  Does walking around the yard count?

31 Days to Clean was really good today.  It was all about putting your feet up.  Making your home comfy but not perfect.  Inviting friends over and creating a homey filling.  So I went out and bought 3 new red accents pillows for the couch! 

Teresa how did you do today?
 

Monday ~ Day 3 of 31

Job 37

1 “At this my heart pounds
and leaps from its place.
2 Listen! Listen to the roar of his voice,
to the rumbling that comes from his mouth.
3 He unleashes his lightning beneath the whole heaven
and sends it to the ends of the earth.
4 After that comes the sound of his roar;
he thunders with his majestic voice.
When his voice resounds,
he holds nothing back.
5 God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways;
he does great things beyond our understanding.
6 He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’
and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’
7 So that everyone he has made may know his work,
he stops all people from their labor.[a]
8 The animals take cover;
they remain in their dens.
9 The tempest comes out from its chamber,
the cold from the driving winds.
10 The breath of God produces ice,
and the broad waters become frozen.
11 He loads the clouds with moisture;
he scatters his lightning through them.
12 At his direction they swirl around
over the face of the whole earth
to do whatever he commands them.
13 He brings the clouds to punish people,
or to water his earth and show his love.

14 “Listen to this, Job;
stop and consider God’s wonders.
15 Do you know how God controls the clouds
and makes his lightning flash?
16 Do you know how the clouds hang poised,
those wonders of him who has perfect knowledge?
17 You who swelter in your clothes
when the land lies hushed under the south wind,
18 can you join him in spreading out the skies,
hard as a mirror of cast bronze?

19 “Tell us what we should say to him;
we cannot draw up our case because of our darkness.
20 Should he be told that I want to speak?
Would anyone ask to be swallowed up?
21 Now no one can look at the sun,
bright as it is in the skies
after the wind has swept them clean.
22 Out of the north he comes in golden splendor;
God comes in awesome majesty.
23 The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power;
in his justice and great righteousness, he does not oppress.
24 Therefore, people revere him,
for does he not have regard for all the wise in heart?[b]”

When you find yourself asking, "can it rain anymore?"  Consider the one who sends it.  It is 12:30 in the afternoon and I am sitting here still in my pj's.  Yep.  But it has been a restful day and much has been accomplished.  Well, I guess that would depend on what you call success (which is another blog post I plan to do soon).  I also found in scripture support for sending ourselves and our kids to their bed when they have gotten in trouble!  Aren't you guessing where now?  Spent some precious minutes on the phone with a friend just chatting.  Thought out my farmer's market presentation more, made more soap, had Bible and prayer with the boys at breakfast.  I do have plans outside the house today so I am right off to the shower next but wanted to keep up to date with myself and this accountability thing.  I haven't even looked at Day 3 for 31 Days to Clean yet, maybe after dinner??? 
 
Breakfast:  2 lightly scrambled eggs
Lunch: apple with almond butter
Dinner: hungarian cabbage & noodles (rice), corn
Snack later tonight made by Chandler: hot spiced chocolate tea
 
What about you?  Weren't able to start from Day 1 no worries jump in here today!  Can't wait to hear from you.  Sometimes we get in a rut and we just new fresh ideas so don't be hesitant to share.

Sunday ~ Day 2 of 31

This morning was wonderful!  The boys played How Deep the Father's Love for Us at church for Father's Day.  How honoring that God would allow us to see a glimpse of His satisfaction with them.  On the other hand it is Father's Day so how can I say no to the cream filled donut for breakfast?

Breakfast:  Chandler's famous scrambled eggs and a cream filled donut

Lunch:  Hummus and pita bread

Dinner:  Grilled steak, baked potatoes with butter only and shh (chocolate cream pie) was that small enough to get away with?  It is his favorite and as Dalton says, "Mom, dad only has a Father's Day at 53 once."  How could I possibly not celebrate a once in a life time day?

We sat in the sun on our back deck and will take a walk before dinner.  31 Days to Clean is cleaning the oven and since I seriously just did that a few days again I am ahead of the game!

This is about honesty here so there it is laid bare before you.  Please pray for me that this week.

Saturday ~ Day 1 of 31

Good Morning! 
It is already a hot one here in Northwest Indiana.  Tom is working and the boys actually slept in today!  I have my list made out of things I want to get accomplished and breakfast is over.  So what do you eat when you are watching sugar, gluten & dairy? 

I have to admit I am not a breakfast person.  I like breakfast but I would rather eat it at dinner.  I am just not hungry when I get up but if I don't eat something I snack to much during the day.  If you don't have a juicer you could do a smoothie with rice milk or raw milk if you can have it.  Organic oats would be good or a good granola with rice milk.  Fried potatoes with eggs on top.  I told you I like breakfast just not in the morning.  I did also fry one egg in coconut oil to go with my juice because eggs are really good for you.  I know what some of you are thinking.  Those carrots and oranges are high in sugar.  If it is in food naturally I am not worried about it.  I will also occasionally have raw unfiltered local honey.

Took my herbs and progesterone cream and am headed out the door to walk.  Then I will start 31 Days to Clean.  See ya back here later to tell you how the rest of the day goes.

As I walked out the door one of my sons came along for a bike ride so we rode our bikes for 30 minutes instead of walking.  I will take that any day over walking by myself.

Lunch was an apple with peanut butter, a handful of almonds & pepitas and a few dates.  
Here is a great recipe for fruit salsa from a friend and blogger.

Snack: 2 eggs lightly fried in butter.  Just got back from the farm ;)

Dinner: grilled hamburger patty, grilled portabello mushroom cap, baked potato salad & corn.

How is your day going?  Tell me we can hold each other accountable!

What better day than a Saturday

Have you ever done the, "I am starting that diet thing on Monday," gig?  I am not a diet person.  But...I really need to get back into watching what I eat.  Really.  I am just not feeling my best.  I also want to start that 31 Days to Clean.  So tomorrow, Saturday I am starting it all. 

I actually started it last weekend and did really good considering we went to two open houses.  Then came company 3 times during the week and a grill out at friends tonight that did me in.  I am not talking about not having anything and enjoying life.  I am talking about knowing what drags me down and makes me feel like I am running on empty.  For me that is sugar and gluten.  I have a non-celiac sensitivity to both and dairy.  So do my children and we use to do very well.  You know how it goes you get home from the nutritionist to bag everything up that is not good and donate it all to people who can have it.  Research and make meal plans and actually stick to them.  Let me tell you that is hard when you are trying to fill up 3 growing boys.  Not to mention I love to cook but you are some what limited when you have to watch sugar, gluten and dairy!  Then it happens you eat a bit here and there, no major problems so you cheat more.  Your body hides the intolerance well for awhile until it just hits you and you are down. 

I need accountability here ladies!  Who is joining me on this band wagon?

Tomorrow I will
start to walk again 30 minutes 5 days a week
limit to almost none existence sugar
limit dairy
limit to almost none existence gluten
start 31 Days to Clean devotion online ebook

What is in your Fridge?

If you have ever read a Rachael Ray magazine I know exactly where you flip to first?  The back page!  You know what I'm talking about.  That back page where they highlight a famous person's fridge.  We foodies are predictable, we want to know what people eat.  As if we can somehow know who they are by what they eat.  Maybe that's why we say you are what you eat? 

I have been so busy this week with 3 soap making classes that I haven't blogged.  I have barely been able to keep up on email.  So pretend I am a famous soap maker to the stars.  Okay atleast a successful soap maker.  Here is what is in my fridge. 

2 bags of Costco organic corn

4 quarts of organic strawberries

4 quarts of homemade chicken broth

homemade bean burritos for husbands lunch

Edy's fruit bars

homemade key lime pie popsicles

We juice a bit so a 25lb of organic carrots and 30lbs of oranges are a must! 

See that bottle of cod liver oil in there?!

A bowl of caprese salad left over from lunch today.

Organic rice milk.

A drawer full of lemons & limes for Rice Milk Limonade.

Local free range eggs.

Jicama, great juicy crunch for salads and also good for juicing.

And don't worry the sugar cookies are in the microwave for safe keeping ;)  We can't always be good!

What is in your fridge?

Do you care what goes into your body?  You should and you should also care about what goes ON your skin.  Check out my ORGANIC soap blog and the reviews by many fellow friends and bloggers.  There are also several giveaways to enter for a chance to win a free bar.  Here & here on Friday.

Links

Whole New Mom

Far Above Rubies

Raising Homemakers

Day 2 day joys

A Little Bit of Spain in Iowa

Raising Mighty Arrows soap giveaway

Heather at Raising Mighty Arrows writes some great posts.  Head on over and spend some time reading and oh yeah, she is hosting a soap giveaway and it just happens to be the soap I make so enter for a chance to win!

Strawberries

Who doesn't like strawberry jam or banana & strawberry smoothies, strawberry ice cream, strawberry pie, spinach & strawberry salad.  I am sure there are some but I love them all!  Today was our first day out picking strawberries.  It is about a week late but they are big and sweet.  The farm about 5 miles down the road from us is run by an older gentleman who raises them without spraying.  You have to pick through the weeds but when 1 quart is regularly $4.99 for organic I will gladly pick for $1.50 a quart.  I also have 3 great helpers.  We picked 29 quarts in 1 hour and we will go back at least one more time, depending on how many trips we take with friends.

Of course we eat many but I pick so I am able to put some up. Here are some tips to keep in mind when you get home from picking.

1.  Never wash until you are ready to eat or use them!
2.  Strawberries don't ripen after picking so pick red ones!
3.  Wash, pick of the top, smash with your hands and freeze in bags by the quart.  Now they are ready for making jam and that is one less step you will have to do the day of jam making!
4.  Put the strawberries in the refrigerator as soon as possible!
5.  Make sure you slice and freeze some for smoothies during the winter and you don't have to sugar pack them!
6.  While picking the tops off sit under a tree and let the chickens eat them!

Get out there and find a strawberry patch and enjoy the fruits of your labor :)

Check out my soap selling blog for a post on making clothes soap and don't forget to follow so you don't miss any summer reading here!

You also have until 5pm today to vote at the Circle of Moms ~ Thanks!

Links
Whole New Mom
Far Above Rubies
Time Warp Wife
Raising Homemakers
day2dayjoys
We Are That Family
A Little Bit of Spain in Iowa