Secrets of a Southern Kitchen--No Cook Strawberry Freezer Jam

• Who can find a virtuous woman? her price is far above rubies
• She is like the merchants ships, she bringeth her food from afar..

Remember last week, when I shared about my stressed out, overwhelmed day, making pies and jam, among other things? 

Last week on my food blog I posted my recipe for fresh strawberry pie, today I share the success (and the failure) I had making no-cook stawberry freezer jam. 

Until next time...

Fresh and Easy Strawberry Pie

• Who can find a virtuous woman? her price is far above rubies
• She is like the merchants' ships, she bringeth her food from afar

Did you see the post I did earlier this week about the flat of beautiful Louisiana strawberries I bought, and the adventures (and mis-adventures) I had trying to get them all taken care of in a day?

Although the two ugly pies I made tasted good, I was determined to make a better one, as I know I'm capable of doing, so I got up the next morning and made another, taking my time to be sure I got everything right this time.

Check out my post over on Secrets of a Southern Kitchen on how to make this fresh and easy strawberry pie.

Until next time...

A Virtuous Woman Cooks and Cleans

• Who can find a virtuous woman?  her price is far above rubies
• She looketh well to the ways of her household
• She eateth not the bread of idleness

Today's task on the 30-Day House Cleaning Challenge at Money Saving Mom was to surface or deep clean the kitchen and/or living room.

Since I've been doing the challenge, my house is staying so clean, I pretty much surface clean the kitchen, living room, bedroom, and bathroom every day.  I still have some hidden areas--closets, cabinets, etc, that need to be tackled, not to mention my biggie--the junk room spare bedroom. That's a project that's coming soon, but now is not the time in my schedule to tackle it yet. 

So today, I did my regular morning routine, (quick cleaning the bathroom, bedroom, living room, and kitchen) as well as washing and drying a load of clothes, doing some grocery shopping,and cooking a good dinner for my family. 

As this is posted, dinner is over, the kitchen is cleaned again, all but a bowl of leftovers that's cooling on the counter before I put it away--and, I had time to do a post on my food blog, Secrets of a Southern Kitchen, for roasted root vegetables.


Check it out if you have time!

Until next time...

A Virtuous Woman Cooks From the Pantry

• Who can find a virtuous woman? per price is far above rubies
• She looketh well to the ways of her household
• She is like the merchant's ships, she bringeth her food from afar
• She...giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens

Earlier this week when we cleaned out our pantries as part of the 30-Day House Cleaning Challenge, I found all kinds of things that I had forgotten I had, as well as a couple of items that I thought should in there but I had been unable to locate.  And yes, I could have dug around and found them in a real pinch, but you know how that usually goes--you glance and if you can't see it, you must not have it! 

At any rate, having a cleaned out and organized pantry inspired to me to do a "Cooking From the Pantry" post over on my food blog, and I chose one of my favorite tried and true quick and easy meals, Taco Soup.

So pop on over and see if this recipe or any the others give you a little inspiration for your meal planning this week.

Until next time...

All Quiet on the Southern Front

• Who can find a virtuous woman...


• She is like the merchants ships, she bringeth her food from afar


• She rises while it is yet night and giveth meat to her household...

This post is a little bit about everything and a lot about nothing...

This has been a fairly uneventful week for me. I've really struggled with the feed and subscription issues that A Virtuous Woman has had--I've delved into technicalities that I had no desire to get into (!) and things are still not back to normal, but I've come to the conclusion that most of it hinges on a "known issue" that Google/Blogger techs are working on, so I'm going to go ahead and post as usual this next week and hope that everything gets it's "fix".

I've really been missing my Philippians 3:14 Fridays posts--even though some weeks it seemed I didn't always accomplish the things I set out to do, it really helped me in general to take a step back and reassess what I was doing, how I was spending my time, etc. I think this meme (that's blogger talk for "themed posts") has gone by the wayside due to lack of participation--much the same as my Mission Possible meme--some weeks I have good participation, some weeks none! But, even though Philippians 3:14 Friday may have "done it's last do" I plan to find another way to bring back some planning, inspiration and accountability.

I didn't post a lot this week about my bargain shopping. I think I've been doing this just long enough to start taking some of my good deals for granted, but I still find good deals almost every place I shop. They are out there, you just have to look for them! My favorites that I found this past week:

• Aveeno Positively Ageless facial cleanser for $.62-on clearanced to $2.62 at Rite Aid, less a $2 manufacturer's coupon
• 16 oz Store brand shredded cheese at Piggly Wiggly for $3.25 for mozzarella and $2.99 for cheddar
• Hebrew National wieners for $1.50--on sale 1/2 price at Publix, less a manufacturer's coupon
• Free Country Bob's sauce--with "Free" coupons I got for doing a review on my food blog
• St Ives body wash, free after Register Reward at Walgreens
• Colgate toothpaste, $.88 after coupon at Rite Aid
• Coppertone sunscreen, $1.97 after coupon at Walmart

Several of these I meant to go back and do again, but it's been entirely too HOT to get out many extra times.

Meanwhile, my sweet husband has been bringing home blackberries he's picking himself from wild berry brambles around his job site. If you follow my food blog, Secrets of a Southern Kitchen, you may have already read about the homemade blackberry pie I made this week--that's the picture at the top of this post. It looked and tasted good, even though it was a little (!) runny. And while I haven't posted the recipes yet, I also made homemade biscuits, and just this morning made blackberry freezer jam. I'll be posting these recipes this week at Secrets of a Southern Kitchen, as well as a pie of a different sort that I'll be making this week.

The temperature is supposed to peak today in the triple digits again, and then cool slightly this next week (highs will only be in the mid 90's!) so most of what I do this week will involve trying to keep cool as I go about cooking, cleaning, doing my regular bargain shopping, making it to a thrift store or two this week, and whatever else comes my way! I hope some of that includes making it to the pool at least a few days this week (that's why I need all of that suncreen I've been buying lately!)

Hoping you and yours are having a good weekend and by the way, Daddy, Happy Father's Day!

Until next time...