Family Matters!

“Holding on to anything is like holding on to your breath. You will suffocate. The only way to get anything in the physical universe is by letting go of it. Let go & it will be yours forever.”  ― Deepak Chopra


     We've had a fun-filled weekend.  We celebrated my baby sister's 50th birthday by going to Antelope Island for a picnic and hiking.  On Sunday, we had a nice family dinner and cake and ice cream.  I presented my sister with a crab quilt since she lives in the Seattle area and loves to go crabbing with her husband. I was happy that she loved the quilt.

    Here are pictures depicting some of the fun we had on Antelope Island.  The island has a rugged, stark beauty that we appreciate. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     Have you ever wondered what to do with all those old rusty canning jar rings that you accumulate?  Well, here's the perfect fall craft to take care of that little problem.  It's just so easy and cute.  Use 21 rings for the regular size and 24 rings for the wide-mouth size to make a rustic looking pumpkin as part of your fall décor.  Add a few cinnamon sticks for the stem and a leaf cut from burlap.

     I made a couple of quilted checkers sets to give to my married children for Halloween.

     It seems like Pumpkin Chili is a really popular recipe this fall.  Here's the version that we like.

Pumpkin Chili

1 lb. ground turkey                                                      1 (4 oz.) can diced green chilies

1 medium onion, diced                                               1 (15 oz.) can solid pack pumpkin

2 tsp. minced garlic                                                    2 tsp. chili powder

1 green bell pepper, chopped                                     1 tsp. ground cumin

1 cup chicken broth                                                     1 (15 oz.) can black beans

1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce                                         1 (15 oz.) can kidney beans

2 (14.5 oz.) cans diced tomatoes                                1 (15 oz.) can Great Northern beans

                                                                                         1 tsp. salt

     Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in large soup pot.  Brown ground turkey.  Add onion, garlic and green bell pepper.  Cook until tender.  Add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and green chilies.  Stir in solid pack pumpkin.  Drain and rinse canned beans and add to the pot.  Add chili powder, cumin and salt.  Cook on low until chili is hot.  For an alternate method of cooking, place browned ground turkey and vegetables and all other ingredients in a crock pot to cook for 1-2 hours.

Here's an easy vegetable side-dish recipe that I like.

 

Stewed Cabbage and Carrots

2 C. shredded carrots                           2 T. butter or margarine

1 C. boiling water                                 1 tsp. salt

3 C. shredded cabbage

 

     Cook carrots in boiling water until partly tender, about 5 minutes.  Add cabbage and simmer, uncovered for 10 minutes.  Add butter and salt and cook five minutes.  Most of the liquid should be absorbed in the cooking and the vegetables served without draining.  Makes 6 servings.

 

 

 

 

 Have you ever wished that you could live forever?  This book is about a family that had that chance and a girl who had the choice.  Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt is one of my favorites.