FUNNEL CAKE

1 cup of milk
1 cup of flour
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1 Egg
2 tablespoons of powdered sugar for making the batter and more for dusting
4 cups of vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
Food thermometer
Funnel

This funnel cake recipe makes 4 large funnel cakes.

Heat oil to 375 degrees in a large skillet. While the oil is heating, beat the egg and milk together in one bowl and combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and powdered sugar in another bowl. Mix the wet and dry ingredients together until the batter is smooth.When the oil has reached 375 degrees, pour the batter into a funnel, holding your finger over the small opening. We did a practice run to make sure the batter was not too thick. We just removed a finger from the opening and poured the batter back into the bowl, making sure it poured out easily. Hold the funnel with the batter over the oil and make a circle with your hand repeatedly to form the cake. We noticed when we added the batter it cooled the oil somewhat and we needed to turn the heat up on the oil.
Fry until the bottom has turned golden brown and turn over and fry the other side.
When both sides are golden brown, remove from oil and drain on paper towels.
You'll want to serve these warm with some powdered sugar dusted on top.

Originally from https://www.facebook.com/groups/gettingskinnywithcourtney/

Zucchini Side Dish

Slice the zucchini in half. Slice off the bottom to keep in stable. Brush with olive oil and top with garlic or garlic powder. Top with sliced tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste. Use mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese or mixed blend.. Bake 375 for 20 to 30 minutes until soft.

Originally from Gregg's Skinny Friends - Health & Weight Control

Cheesy Smoked Sausage & Potato Casserole Recipe

Ingredients

3 cups idaho potatoes, peeled, boiled and cut into cubes when cool, approx. 1 lb
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 lb Velveeta cheese, diced
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 lb skinless smoked sausage (Eckrich is my favorite brand)
1/8 teaspoon paprika
Directions:

1
Cut skinless smoked sausage in half, lengthwise, and then chop into 1/2 inch "half moon" cuts. Cook in a frying pan for about 15 minutes, turning frequently to SLIGHTLY brown.
2
Meanwhile, put cooked & diced potatoes in 2 quart casserole. Add cooked meat and give it a gentle toss.
3
Mix all remaining ingredients (except for shredded cheddar cheese & the paprika) in a saucepan over medium heat until warm, melted and smooth. (Use a whisk and stir constantly.).
4
Pour white/cheese sauce over potatoes and meat. Sprinkle shredded sharp cheddar cheese on top, and then sprinkle paprika evenly over the top.
5
Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 35-45 minutes (watch, until golden brown on top).
6
NOTE: You can substitute: 1/2 lb. hot dogs, sliced into 1/2-inch slices OR 1/2 lb. ham diced into 1/2-inch dices OR 12 oz. can of Spam diced into 1/2-inch dices, instead of the smoked sausage.

Originally from https://www.facebook.com/MamasCornerUncensored/

Feeling Pretty Bored

It kind of sucks when you're stuck not having much money to play with.  The most I do on any given day right now is get up really early in the morning to go to work.  And then I come home and hang out on my laptop until it's time to head to bed.  Yep, that about sums it up right now...

We have a few plans (hopefully) for this weekend.  Praying that we have the funds to really enjoy everything we want to.

Trying to find more to do on a very limited budget.  I know there are quite a few ways for us to occupy our time with very little money.  I found this cute video on YouTube...



Came across this today, too...

This Huge E-book Is Packed With 178 Craft Project Tutorials To Bust Boredom And Inspire Creativity. Each Craft Has Easy To Follow Instructions And Step By Step Photographs. There Are 650 Pages Of Unique Seasonal And Everyday Crafts To Explore!

Goodness Is God-ness

I know this is just a small slump we're in and there are great things coming on the horizon.  Today I woke up with a whole new feeling of it's just right around the corner.  We're going to make it happen.  With God we're going to make it happen.  It took a lot out of us to move all the way across the country.  The cost of driving two vehicles across the country, staying in hotels along the way, and Ron having to stay in Washington for two weeks for training and then a month in California before we even moved out here was just a smidget of the stuff we had to cover in the past three months.  

I seriously just have to be grateful for what we've accomplished so far.  So our living room doesn't have a couch or a TV.  It's not the end of the world.  We'll get there.  It'll just take a little bit of patience.

Setting my focus on what's coming around the corner!  Here we go!!

30 Things to be Grateful For

Done with my moody blues from yesterday.  Maybe just knowing I don't have to go to work for the next day and a half is putting me in a better mood.  Probably also because my cough/cold is starting to clear up.  Either way I'm in a more positive mood today.

Hey, it's the week of Thanksgiving and we're supposed to be thinking about the things we're grateful for anyway.  I know I have a lot of things in my dream book that may never manifest (though I certainly hope they do) but I already have a lot that used to be in that dream book.  I can physically touch them, hear them, see them.  They really are here right here, right now.  I have memories of things, pictures of things that absolutely DID happen.  I can absolutely say I have been given a blessed life and today I am grateful!

I see a lot of people start this 30 days of gratitude thing every November.  I see it go on for about 10 days and then it stops.  I do it, too.  I say I'm going to make it this time and somewhere around day seven or eight I've already forgotten about it.

Well, here's my list of 30 things to be grateful for:

1. My mom
2. My children
3. My husband
4. My dogs
5. My new home here in California
6. My car
7. The food in our refrigerator, freezer and pantry
8. My job
9. My bed
10. Electricity
11. My computer
12. The internet
13. My ability to read
14. That I have all of my senses working properly
15. Our trip up to the mountains this past weekend.
16. Our new church
17. The homeschooling group we've become a part of
18. Peace and quiet
19. Music
20. Prayer
21. That my children, husband and I are healthy
22. Our creativity
23. The lovely conversation I had with my son a few days ago.
24. coffee
25. books
26. My son laughing in the other room right now.
27. Netflix
28. God
29. Spending every day with my children.
30. For every experience I've ever had making me who I am.

A List of Never's I Hope Will One Day Be A Memory

So some days I get down about the way things are.  Right now I just can't help it.  We've been here in California for a month now and still don't have any furniture in our living room.  Why?  Because we can't afford it.  We're broke.  Broke.  Broke.  We went to a festival yesterday and it was most depressing seeing all of the things we just can't buy right now.  And, to be honest, it's becoming habitual.  We constantly run into the occasional money fun followed by a REALLY long time of money blah.

Whatever.

I know there are worse things to be depressed about.  I know it just sounds selfish but I'm really tired of this happening over and over again in my life.  I used to believe in the Law of Attraction or believing we're all Divine beings and supposed to be happy and wealthy and all that.  Well, maybe that's just not in my cards.  I've been struggling with this for over 20 years now.  I may as well just acknowledge that I'm just supposed to be unhappy, especially in regards to money.  While taking a nap today after work I just started thinking about all those dreams I have that seem to be on the "it will never happen" list.

I will never have a comfortable money flow.
I will never have a new car.
I will never have be successful working for myself.
I will never have nice things.
I will never be able to decorate my home the way I want to.
I will never have nice new clothes (from someplace other than Walmart or Goodwill).
I will never have nice new shoes (as above).
I will never have new jewelry (from a jewelry store).
I will never have a professionally done hairstyle.
I will never go on a cruise.
I will never be able to buy something without thinking how that will impact a bill later on.
I will never be able to fully enjoy my hobbies because I never have the money for materials.

Add in those things I'll never do because of my anxiety, no matter how much I really want to...

I will never get a tattoo.
I will never ride on a motorcycle, certainly won't ever drive one.

And just some other things that get under my skin (you know, while we're at it)...

I will never hear from God.
I will never have another best friend.
I may never see my children/grandchild again.
I will never see my son (either one of them) get married.
I will never have a man who truly listens to me.

I do hope one day this list of never's will become the opposite good.  Right now, I just don't feel that will ever happen.