What is Kinnikinnick?

For three years I have enjoyed the best tasting Gluten-Free product out there and the brand name is: Kinnikinnick!!! Strange name, but outstanding taste!!! Kinnikinnick carries everything "bread" that is gluten/wheat-free. Here is a list of a few items: brown, white and Italian sandwich breads, carrot and chocolate chip muffins, hamburger buns, English muffins, and pizza crusts!!! Everything I have tried does not disappoint me. I wanted to share with you how I made my pizza recently...all I can say is that my husband absolutely fell in love with this pizza crust and the pizza sauce (recipe below)!!! The crust was PERFECT...not too crunchy and not too soft...it literally melted in your mouth when you took a bite! Paul said it was better than any crust he ever had. I totally agree with him.

Buy these pizza crusts in the frozen foods section (they have them at Kroger's).

Take the crust out of the box (1 crust is two serving sizes). I made a good friend of our's spaghetti sauce and it works perfectly on this pizza. I am going to share it with you. Thank you, Becca!!! I LOVE Becca's healthy foods that she posts on her blog!!!

BECCA PATENAUDE'S SPAGHETTI SAUCE:

1 T. oil (olive oil)

1 medium onion diced

2 cloves garlic, pressed (Becca uses 4)

28 oz. canned tomatoes, diced (don't drain)

6 oz. can tomato paste

2 tsp. red wine vinegar

3 T. Italian Seasonings

1 T. sugar (Becca uses raw cane sugar, I use Organic Agave Nectar)

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

In a large saucepan, heat the oil over med. heat. Add onion and garlic and

saute 2-3 minutes until garlic is golden brown. Add remaining ingredients.

Simmer, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes. If it thickens too much for your

taste, add up to 1/2 c. water.

I added onions, peppers and turkey pepperoni to our pizza.

Cute Picture of Neil!

I just realized that I had this picture stored on our camera and I had forgotten that I took it this past Christmas. Neil was teething a lot and using a grape teether that he would put on his back teeth and it would be soothing for him. Well, one day I was sitting on the floor with him while everyone was getting ready and I couldn't find that teether. So I held my hand up just like Neil is doing in this picture and put my thumb on my own teeth (illustrated by Neil here.) I told him "Neil...put your hand like this and touch that tooth with your thumb! It helps those teeth feel better!" So when Neil did this and copied me...I grabbed the camera! It was amazing!!! I might not have actually taught this to Neil...maybe my sister and brother-in-law had already. But I just couldn't believe that he actually copied me when I did it! :) I love that baby!

Food Allergies

I can completely understand those who have to deal with food allergies! Having Celiac Disease, I can feel the frustrations of those who have to read labels on different food items all the time...just to make sure there is no "hidden" ingredient that you're allergic to. My sister and brother-in-law's very dear friends have a son who is allergic to peanuts. I just read Dori's blog and what a shock that Chick-fil-a uses peanut oil to fry all their chicken and fries! Also, since we are on this subject, I've noticed a while back that Chee Burger Chee Burger also uses peanut oil to fry their french fries! I agree with Dori that Chick-fil-a needs to switch to Canola or Vegetable Oil so that those with peanut allergies can eat their sandwiches and french fries at ease. Maybe if word gets out and enough people petition this request it would be for the better.
If you know of someone with food allergies and can relate to this topic...please post on your blog about this request...I think those with food allergies need to take a stand. Also, I sure think it would be awesome if more restaurants could have menus for gluten/wheat-free, dairy-free, peanut-free foods, etc.

Verse for Today

"May the Lord bless and protect you; may the Lord's face radiate with joy because of you; may He be gracious to you, show you His favor, and give you His peace." Numbers 6:24-26

Project 52: Week 9

Hurricane Creek Park

Yesterday Paul and I visited a gorgeous park in Cullman, Alabama! Here are some pictures...some of the scenery yesterday made me feel really close to Jesus!

This picture is of the trail steps leading through a rock. Reminds me of how the Lord wants us to find refuge in Him...."Hide me in the cleft of the Rock..."

Hurricane Creek was so tranquil and so beautiful! "Lead me beside the still waters..."

The water was literally a turqoise green!!! "...but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst."

"Come all you who are thirsty; come to the waters..." Isiah 55:1

John 4:13 "Jesus answered, 'Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoevere drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

This bridge and the whole hiking trail reminded me of the path we are on following Christ. The path at Hurrican Park was extremely narrow...in the same way the path we are on with Christ is also very narrow and few find it. "For the gate is small and the way is narrow that lead to life, and there are few who find it." Matthew 7: 14

Psalm 119:105 "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."

Psalm 16:11 "You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever."

Bunni and the Bender Ball

Paul and I love our Maltipoo. We took some pictures recently of Bunni playing with my green Bender Ball! It was so funny to watch her run around the house with it. We couldn't capture her with the ball actually in her mouth...she would stop and pose like she was saying "Ok, you can take my picture now." On a side note, the third picture down shows Bunni's bottom teeth. For the past month I have been brushing all of her teeth with an electric toothbrush! If you have a dog with horrible breath, chances are it has a lot of tarter built up on the teeth...especially the back molars. I've tried a regular toothbrush and even a dental pick on Bunni and it never worked. Ever since I've used an electric toothbrush on Bunni, her teeth look as good as ever! In fact, they are more white than when she was a puppy!

Valentine's Weekend Recap

Paul and I had a very laid back Valentine's weekend. We went shopping for some new curtains on Saturday. I am having a very hard time finding the ones I want and I am seriously considering making my own. Saturday night my sweet hubby and I made some Valentine Sugar Cookies. We made them gluten-free so I could eat some (and of course Paul, too), but our main purpose was to bring them to our precious neighbor, Mr. Bill. Mr. Bill is an elderly man who just lost his wife not too long ago. He is all alone and we check in on him every now and then. Paul and I both thought that bringing him cookies would cheer him up. Unfortunately, Mr. Bill wasn't home, so we are thinking about taking him to the Cracker Barrel or making him a dinner sometime this week instead. One little thing we ending up doing was eating all the cookies...they were so tempting and so delicious! :)
On Sunday morning it snowed!!! Paul and I were so happy!!! Paul also surprised me with the most beautiful bouquet of red roses!!! I had no idea he ordered them for me and they were delivered even when it was snowing and the roads were icy. Here are some pictures that are all out of order, but I wanted to share:

Three Little Girls all in a Row

I just love this picture of my sisters and me taken around 1984. I think my sister looks a lot like Neil in this picture.

I Love My Husband!

I just noticed these pictures of my precious husband in our scanned pictures file. Oh my goodness...he's so adorable on that tractor! The first picture is of Paul when he was little...his grandma was giving him a push on his toy tractor. The second one is Paul when he was older on his dad's tractor! I LOVE it!!!! I am so blessed that God sent me Paul...I love that even though we live in the city now, you can't take the country out of him. :)

Project 52: Week 8

Ready for Spring

There are four birds that have been in our backyard pecking through the dried leaves almost daily: a red Cardinal (we couldn't get his picture because he wouldn't stay still), a Robin, a Bluejay, and a Mockingbird. I think these birds are ready for Spring! I know I am!

Holding On

I've been thinking a lot lately about things we hold on to in this world. I'm talking about the tight kind of holding on...the kind of hold that you won't let go in fear that you'll lose that "thing" if let up on the grip.
This reminds me of an analogy. In the book "Where the Red Fern Grows," there is a part where the raccoon has his hand stuck down in a little hole on the log. He has his hand on the "treasure he wants" but the only problem is that he can't pull it out because the hole is too small. The stubborn raccoon will not let go of his possession. For days he will just sit on that log with his little paw down in that hole holding his prize. Little does he know, that it's a trap and he'll get hunted down by the two coon dogs if he doesn't release his grip and run away.
In many ways, we hold on to worldly things too tightly. Like the raccoon, if we don't "let go," we'll be stuck in the trap. Here are some things that we hold on to:
-money
-job
-kids
-clothes
-appearance
-our spouse
-our family/extended family
-vehicles
-the list can go on....
I believe with my whole heart that if we learn to "let go" and "let God" we will all live in peace! We must only HOLD ON to Jesus! We are not in control. Thank goodness that God has all things in His grip. We don't ever need to worry. We can rest assured that God is in control of everything and all things are safely in His hands.
Here is one of my favorite songs by Twila Paris! It sums up everything:
By Twila Paris "Hold On"

Every little baby comes into the world
Reaching for an anchor, fingers tightly curled
Grasping for a reason without knowing why
We will cling to anything until the day we die.

We can hold on to sorrow, hold on to pain
We can hold on to anger when there's nothing to be gained
We can hold to a thread at the end of a rope
But if we hold on to Jesus, we are holding on to Hope.

This is human nature, this is what He planned
When He put our hearts inside, when He made these hands
We are here to reach for Him, never letting go
This is all we need to have. All we need to know.

We can hold on to money, hold on to fame
We can hold on to glory and the honor of a name
We can hold to a thread at the end of a rope
But if we hold on to Jesus we are holding on to Hope.

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