The Ways of Her Home

Embracing the homeward call

Whole Wheat Banana Muffins

I sure hope I didn’t just lose anyone with the words whole wheat, because you’ll be missing out on a tasty (and, yes, healthy) breakfast treat! If you’re still with me, hang on for just a minute. Is anyone else tired of eating from the holidays? I can enjoy the junk for only so long, and then I’m glad to get back to fresh fruits, veggies, whole grains, and WATER! Despite the many desserts and goodies I post here on the blog, for the most part, I really try to feed my family healthy meals. The goodies are just our splurge days (holidays, Sunday lunch, etc), but through much of the week, we go fairly healthy. This magical muffin gives you a healthy little carb fix by way of whole grain, ... Read more

New Year’s Menu 2020

Hello! It's back to my regular schedule this week, but, as promised, I want to quickly share some recipes from our New Year's Day lunch we enjoyed with our parents. After our moms have hosted all the holiday meals from Thanksgiving to Christmas, Joel and I like to take New Year's Day to treat them to a break from cooking and cleaning for company. Every year I go with the traditional New Year's pork, collards, peas, and cornbread, but this year we decided we needed a steak! Joel and I could not remember the last time we'd bought steaks, and thought it would be a nice surprise for everyone. New Year's Day Menu 2020: New York Strip Steak Shrimp and Bacon Stuffed Potatoes Roasted Parmesan ... Read more

‘Twas the Weekend Before Christmas….

'Twas the weekend before Christmas, and all through the house... every creature was stirring, and you better believe my table was set! With new dishes! Yay!  I've always wanted a set of Christmas dishes. You know the ones with either a Christmas tree or a snowy scene or holly encircling the border of the dish? So when my husband asked me what I wanted for Christmas this year, I decided on the dishes! He told me to pick them out and he would get them. I know, he's a keeper, right! I searched the entire internet, looking at patterns, reading reviews, and narrowing down my favorites. But then, I saw something I wasn't expecting: the prettiest solid green dishes with a textured lacy pattern! ... Read more

Grinch Sundaes!

Our family loves ice cream! So naturally ice cream must be worked into any holiday or special occasion here at the house. One night last week we watched our favorite old Grinch movie with bowls of Grinch Ice Cream Sundaes! In a large bowl, mix a softened carton of vanilla ice cream with 1 teaspoon of mint extract and enough green food coloring gel to reach the perfect Grinch green. Stir until all ingredients are combined well. Pour back into the carton and refreeze. Serve scoops of Grinch ice cream with sprinkle candy hearts, whipped cream, and cherries! Isn’t that a happy little sundae! You know, maybe if the Grinch had worked a little more ice cream into his diet, he wouldn’t have been ... Read more

Christmas Pound Cakes

Happy Tuesday and Merry Christmas! I've been sharing some of my favorite recipes for Christmas cooking, and today I'm moving on to Christmas baking with two pound cake recipes that are suitable for any holiday gatherings and gifting. The first pound cake is one my dear friend, Missy, developed herself, having taken her favorite elements from various Christmas pound cake recipes to create one of the best cakes I think I've ever put in my mouth! The tangy burst of orange and cranberry combined with creamy morsels of white chocolate, under a blanket of buttery cream cheese icing make this cake fantastically festive in both appearance and taste. I baked her recipe for the first time last ... Read more

Thanksgiving Week in the Kitchen

Happy Thanksgiving week! I've had several recipe posts in mind leading up to this week, but with our busy school schedule and a computer crash, I just haven't been able to make them happen. However, I'm excited to report this week that not only are we on our holiday break from school, but I'm also sporting a new computer. So, hold on to your seats because you're about to get several recipe posts in one! The table above is from last year's Thanksgiving gathering. We hosted my husband's side of the family and enjoyed so many blessings from the time together. This year, we'll be eating with my side of the family at my parents' home and are expecting a large crowd. My parents have always been ... Read more

Apple Cheesecake Dip

Good morning! I was working on a different post for today, but it’s not ready, so I’m going cheat a little and offer a quick recipe instead. But I think you’ll like it! Apple Cheesecake Dip!  This recipe came from the Real House Moms blog several years ago (I need to check and see if they’re still around!), and I love serving it as a snack, appetizer, or dessert during the fall season. It’s sooo good! Country Girl and I whipped up a big ‘ole batch last week for our Bible study group, and because we doubled the recipe, we enjoyed snacking on it throughout the weekend. Apple Cheesecake Dip 10 ounce apple pie filling 8 ounce cream cheese, softened 1/4 cup plain yogurt 1/4 cup sugar 1 tsp ... Read more

Butterscotch Pie

Hello, friends! Earlier this week I attended my cooking club and the theme this month was “Family Favorites”. I took Cottage Pie and Butterscotch Pie. The Cottage Pie is a scrumptious meat and potatoes dish which I posted Tuesday. Butterscotch Pie is nothing less than a sweet dream on a plate! Butterscotch Pie has been a favorite at our house for more years than I can remember. In just a minute I’ll tell you where I got the recipe from. It’s kind of cute, so stick around. I already have a few pie plates in my cabinet, but none of them were ideal for pudding pies. I had been looking for a new one that was deep, but with a good slant to the sides so the crust would not sink down. I found ... Read more