Fruit vinegar

Just the other day, I went to reach for the red wine vinegar, and I was completely out. So, instead, I reached for this easy substitute. In fact, I think I like it better. It's fruit flavored vinegar. This one is blueberry, but other fruits work well, too (cranberries, peaches, apples), as well as herbs (basil, rosemary, thyme). I used up the blueberry vinegar in the recipe I was making, so I needed more.

It starts with plain ole' vinegar. I know, I know. It's a foodie faux pas to use white vinegar. But, we like it, and it's also good for cleaning, so I always have it around.

I find bottles everywhere. This one (shockingly) came from a walk down the street on recycling day. I run it through the dishwasher, check for cracks, and there you go.

the lighting in my new house is horrible. I'm working with it, but bear with me in the meantime.

These blueberries were frozen last summer. Just dump them in. Heat the vinegar to boiling (no pictures of this, but if you do it, remember...hot vinegar will clear your sinuses like nothing else), then pour over.

This vinegar will sit for 2 weeks or so, and it'll be ready to use. I usually keep it as is, but you can also strain out the fruit. It would make an easy, elegant Christmas gift, too. It's a great substitute for red wine vinegar, it's good in salad dressings, and it makes a nice ingredient in marinades and pan sauces.

Today, I'm linked to Tasty Tuesday at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam. Check it out! Lots of fun stuff over there every week.

Menu Plan Monday

Another successful Thanksgiving! And, just in case you're confused (I was), that's a turkey, put together from a craft kit by a two year old. Yes, mutant turkeys decorated my holiday table this year.

And that two year old was the proudest thing ever. So cute.

I brought home the turkey carcass from Thanksgiving, so I was able to get a couple of meals from that that we'll enjoy this week. Plus, Mike was home over the long weekend (of course), so a little more eating out than usual. Coupled with a quiet Black Friday shopping trip of just me and the baby, I'm feeling like I had a little vacation, too.

Friday--the Varsity (lunch), take out (supper)
Saturday--leftovers (lunch), steaks, onion casserole, salad (supper)
Sunday--out (lunch), turkey gumbo (supper)
Monday--french dips, carrot sticks, cumin-scented lima beans with artichokes
Tuesday--sweet potato/black bean burritos, Mexican rice
Wednesday--cincinatti chili over spaghetti
Thursday--Thai red curry with pork, rice

As always, I'm linked to orgjunkie's Meal Plan Monday.

Thankful

As I count my blessings this year, I'm thankful for our warm, cozy little house. It's in such a great location, so sweet, so fun, and so me. I think my mom is one of the few people that realize just how me it is.

We lost our last house because of bad circumstances, combined with some stupid financial moves. (not like Vegas stupid, and in different times, we would have been okay, but hey, chance is chance, and you can always lose) So, part of me felt like we would need to pay penance for that and live in a terrible efficiency apartment in the ghetto while we got our acts together.

But, God is GOOD. And that's not what has happened at all. Sure, there is restoration to do. We have some debt to pay off now. It will take us years to save up for another house. But, in the meantime, we are in a great place, just right for us. My children are thriving, my family is happy, and I have to pinch myself that I really live here now.

So, I'm thankful. Very thankful that even in our stupidity, God can make beauty out of ashes.

Thankful

This week, our Bible verse is 1 Thess. 5:16 In everything, give thanks.

And, so, I thought I'd share some of the things I'm thankful for.

I never thought I'd be the mama of even one son, much less three of them! What joy they bring to my life. What excitement. What energy. I love each and every day with them. Even the days when I escape to the grocery store after dark for a few minutes of quiet. This is really a fun season of my life, and I am thankful.

Tomorrow, I'll share a couple more of the things I'm thankful for. Join me this week as we give thanks to God for all that He has given us.