Quick Dutch Apple Pie

I like apple pie, but I'm not real great at making pie crusts and don't particularly like them the most, so I combined 2 recipes and changed some things up and made this. It tastes great and it doesn't have much sugar covering up the apple's flavor. It's easy to double and put in a 9x13" pan. I've made it for several different people and it's always been a good hit! : ) I hope you all enjoy!

Quick Dutch Apple Pie

For the Apple Filling:
7 large Granny Smith apples
2 large McIntosh apples (I normally just use whatever other type of apple I have on hand)
¼ c. granulated sugar
½ t ground cinnamon
1/8 t salt
2 T butter
½ cream

For the Streusel Topping:
1 c. flour
½ c. brown sugar
½ c. firm butter

For the Apple Filling:
Peel, quarter, and core the apples: slice each quarter crosswise into pieces ¼ inch thick. Toss the apples, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl to combine. Heat the butter in a large Dutch over high heat until the foaming subsides; add the apples and toss to coat. Reduce heat to medium-high and cook, covered and stirring occasionally, until the apples are softened, about 10 minutes.

Set a large colander over a large bowl; transfer the cooked apples to the colander, Shake the colander and toss the apples to drain off as much juice as possible. Bring the drained juice and the cream to a boil in the now-empty Dutch oven over high heat; cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened and a wooden spoon leaves a trail in the mixture, about 5 minutes. Pack the apples into a 8-inch square baking dish and pour the reduced juice mixture over.

For the Streusel Topping:
Mix the flour, sugar and butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over apple mixture.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until done.

Blessings on your week!
♥ Tabitha

Something Every Parent Should Have - Arnica

If you haven't heard of Arnica yet or don't use it I would highly recommend it! It's amazing! Arnica is a common Homeopathic remedy that is really neat. My family has used it for years and we've really been thankful for it at times. It's just a matter of time that someone will get that big bump on their forehead or smash their fingers in a door. My family and I were first introduced to Arnica when one of my younger sisters accidentally walked in front of a swinging child and got kicked in the eye. She had already done it one other time before so we knew what would happen ~ she'd have a black eye for a couple weeks. But it didn't happen this time, our host ran up and asked to put this gel around her eye (not in it : )) and she NEVER got a bruise or anything. We've been using Arnica ever since. We keep it in our diaper bags, vehicles, & multiple places around the house.

There's this really neat website here that talks about so much more about Arnica then I can write here in this post. It talks about the different uses and how it first came about. Here's a little bit:

"The active components are sesquiterpene lactones, which are known to reduce inflammation and decrease pain. Other active ingredients are the essential oil thymol, flavonoids, inulin, carotenoids and tannins.

Arnica works by stimulating the activity of white blood cells that take care of much of the digestion of congested blood, and by limiting trapped fluids from bumped and bruised tissue, joints and muscles.

It is known to stimulate blood circulation and can raise blood pressure, especially in the coronary arteries. The plant is used externally for arthritis, burns, ulcers, eczema and acne. It has anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory qualities that can reduce pain and swelling, improving wound healing."

We've found Arnica works great on helping and preventing bruises, Relieving pain from bruises, headaches, lessening redness from bumps and so many other things. My mom often uses it after childbirth and it seems to help.

We always have tried our best to not put Arnica on any open cuts or abrasions as there are many warnings about taking Arnica internally. If not done correctly it can be extremely toxic. Arnica should only be taken internally by a Homeopathic remedy & it works great that way too. Especially for sore muscles. We usually stay stalked up on both Arnica gel and Arnica tablets.

There's this website too that has lots of beneficial information on Arnica.

I'd recommend you read up on it and be prepared for those falls next time around. Feel free to leave a comment and let me know what you find out and how you might use Arnica!

I hope you week's been a blessing and you will have a restful weekend!

♥ Tabitha

A Precious Promise

"But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint."
Isaiah 40:31

A Favorite Poem

~Footprints in the Sand~

"One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord. Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.

In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand. Sometimes there were two sets of footprints, other times there was one only.

This bothered me because I noticed that during the low periods of my life, when I was suffering from anguish, sorrow or defeat, I could see only one set of footprints, so I said to the Lord,

“You promised me Lord, that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life there has only been one set of footprints in the sand. Why, when I needed you most, have you not been there for me?”

The Lord replied, “The years when you have seen only one set of footprints, my child, is when I carried you.”"

~Mary Stevenson, 1936

You can read Mary's story here. I found this for the first time today...

Couples Who Pray - Book Review

Couples Who Pray
by Husband & Wife Squire Rushnell & Louise DuArt

Being that my husband and I have been married for just over a year now I thought this book would be a great read when I first saw it. My husband & I were excited to read it together. We both grew up in Christian families and prayer has always been a part of our lives. I wouldn't say the book Couples Who Pray has changed our marriage (as the book says it will) as we've had prayer together through our marriage and engagement (betrothal). But I can see how it could change others.

The authors of Couples Who Pray bring you step by step into how prayer in your marriage changes everything. Included in each sections are stories and testimonies of how it has changed other marriages.

This book goes through the National Statistics of couples who prayed together and how it impacted their lives & marriages in positive ways. It includes a 40 day prayers challenge, take at least 5 minutes a day to pray with your spouse. Each of you!

From the back of the book: Those who bare themselves before God in prayer for a minimum of five minutes a day for forty days have achieved extraordinary results:

1.) Spousal communication elevates.

2.) Respect rises.

3.) Agreement becomes the norm.

4.) Happiness is a way of life...

Disclosure: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

To Be Known In Christ & To Follow Him

"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me." John 10:27

I want to follow Jesus Christ closely.
Right behind Him
Know Him
And hear His voice
I want this blog to be a light for Him
To encourage others to strengthen their walk
{And to be encouraged too}
Or come and follow Him
And find rest in His arms.

I pray you all are having a blessed week
And that your following Jesus will be stronger everyday!

"And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them;
and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice." John 10:4

♥ Love ♥

I thought I would share some of my favorite scriptures on love today.
♥
The word LOVE appears in the New Testament 289 times
♥
"Jesus said to him, 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind."
Matthew 22: 37
♥
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
John 3:16
♥
"By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
John 13:35
♥
"Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him."
John 14:23
♥
"Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us."
Romans 5:5
♥
"Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;"
1 Corinthians 13:4
♥
"Let all that you do be done with love."
1 Corinthians 16:14
♥
"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."
Galatians 2:20
♥
"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,"
Ephesians 5:25
♥
"Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy -- meditate on these things."
Philippians 4:8
♥
"Let brotherly love continue."
Hebrews 13:1
♥
"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God." 1 John 4:7
♥

***I personally don't 'celebrate Valentine's Day. ;-)***

Food Inc.

My husband and I had the opportunity to watch the movie Food, Inc. last night. Wow! If you haven't watched it already and would like to know more about where the food from the grocery store is coming from, I would highly recommend it.

It really explains everything well and makes you want to make your food choices carefully and diligently. I grew up in a home very health minded and have tried to do the same for my new home. Now after watching this movie I'm going to be much more *picky* on what we get.

You can find more about this movie here and watch the trailer:
Official Food, Inc. Movie Site - Hungry For Change? - Trailer and Photos

Chipotle is the only fast food restaurant that uses *real* meat and veggies.

10 Simple things you can do to change our food system:

1. Stop drinking sodas and other sweetened beverages.

You can lose 25 lbs in a year by replacing one 20 oz soda a day with a no calorie beverage (preferably water).

2. Eat at home instead of eating out.

Children consume almost twice (1.8 times) as many calories when eating food prepared outside the home.

3. Bring food labeling into the 21st Century.

Half of the leading chain restaurants provide no nutritional information to their customers.

4. Tell schools to stop selling sodas, junk food, and sports drinks.

Over the last two decades, rates of obesity have tripled in children and adolescents aged 6 to 19 years.

5. Meatless Mondays—Go without meat one day a week.

An estimated 70% of all antibiotics used in the United States are given to farm animals.

6. Buy organic or sustainable food with little or no pesticides.

According to the EPA, over 1 billion pounds of pesticides are used each year in the U.S.

7. Protect family farms; visit your local farmer's market.

Farmer's markets allow farmers to keep 80 to 90 cents of each dollar spent by the consumer.

8. Make a point to know where your food comes from—READ LABELS.

The average meal travels 1500 miles from the farm to your dinner plate.

9. Tell Congress that food safety is important to you.

Each year, contaminated food causes millions of illnesses and thousands of deaths in the U.S.

10. Demand job protections for farm workers and food processors, ensuring fair wages and other protections.

"The film's first segment examines the industrial production of meat (chicken, beef, and pork), calling it inhumane and economically and environmentally unsustainable.^[2][5] The second segment looks at the industrial production of grains and vegetables (primarily corn and soy beans), again labeling this economically and environmentally unsustainable.^[2][5] The film's third and final segment is about the economic and legal power of the major food companies, such as food libel laws, whose livelihoods are based on supplying cheap but contaminated food, the heavy use of petroleum-based chemicals (largely pesticides and fertilizers), and the promotion of unhealthy food consumption habits by the American public."*

Just spreading the word! Lets get 'Kevin's Law' past.


All these opinions are my own and Food, Inc didn't provide me with any compensation for this post.

*Taken from here.

Praise Him...

"Praise Him who went before to search out a Resting-place. May it be a place of victory too, for His own glory's sake."

~Amy Carmichael

Book Review - Fruit of the Spirit: Love

Fruit of the Spirit: Love
by: Calvin Miller


This book is written as a 6 week study guide for groups or individuals. It would be a wonderful book for a married couple to read together. The author goes to the root of love in our lives, bringing forth the biblical concept of love through the Holy Spirit that dwells in us. I really appreciated and enjoyed the way the book was written and the spirit behind it. I enjoyed the easy read, just one short chapter a day. This book will definitely be a must to read again and to share with others.

Mr. Miller says 'Love is perhaps the most overused and misused word in our language today'.

At the end of each day's reading there are questions to help the reader apply the lessons in their own life. At the end of each week there are again questions.

Each week has a different subject it will cover. Below are the aspects of love that will be covered in this book:
The Evidence of Love Is Giving
Love Forgives
Love - The Definition of God
Love - God's Passion for His World
Love - Unconditional Longing of God
Love - The Incarnational Force of God

This book is one in a series about the Fruit of the Spirit. Mr. Miller also has written:
Joy
Peace
Patience
Kindness
Goodness
Faithfulness
Gentleness
& Self-Control


I must admit that I am a huge book lover/book worm. I have always loved reading. In the evenings while growing up I used to grab a book and climb in bed and read into the wee hours of the morning. I really enjoyed it - and yes my mom knew. : ) I especially enjoyed Christian Missionary Biographies & Autobiographies, Historical Fiction, Character building books (especially ones written by Horatio Alger, Jr. Written for boys but great for girls too.)


Disclosure: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Snow and a Hot Cocoa Recipe!

We got about 24 inches of snow yesterday! Today we have beautiful blue skies and the sun is shinning. But it is still really cold out there. I made some Hot Chocolate today for my husband after he was out shoveling our driveway. It's so great on days like this, so warm and yummy!

"For He says to the snow, 'Fall on the earth'; Likewise to the gentle rain the heavy rain of His strength." Job 37:6

The wind we got yesterday made the snow have such beautiful textures! : )

♥ Our Favorite Hot Cocoa ♥

1/2 c. sugar
1/3 c. hot water
1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
4 c. milk
1/8 t. salt
3/4 t. vanilla extract

Mix cocoa, sugar, water and salt in a saucepan. Over medium heat, stir constantly until mixture boils. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.

Stir in the milk and heat, but do not boil. Remove from heat and add vanilla; blean well. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings. ♥ I hope you all enjoy! ♥

Doll Giveaway

Isn't this doll adorable?? Sarah at As Lilies Sewing is giving away one of her handmade dolls. Check out her blog and enter the giveaway there!