Vegan Double Chocolate Banana Bread ~ and ~ about today...

I tweaked Smitten Kitchen's 

double chocolate banana bread

and used half cup coconut oil, half vegan margarine,

used X-Gum for binder and regular flour.

While not as decadent as the one with 

butter and eggs, it is still good!

One for now and one for next week,

in the freezer!

*

I am struggling with some insomnia right now,

please pray for me!

My sense is that the devil knows I am to host 

children who God LOVES and the devil does not.

Thank God we know who wins!

Our Saviour Jesus Christ!

*

As just mentioned... Mr. Husband and 

I will be hosting different children for 

the next two or three weeks for sleepovers

and I am finding lots of stuff for this.

Ordered some crafts supplies via amazon prime,

some cool books via amazon and St. Tikhon's bookstore,

found and was emailed some cool things including 

here, here, here and here. 

I found this recent post (H/T Mat Emily) here to be very helpful!

Thanks also for the suggestions I was given earlier this week!

*

Asking for any other suggestions also! 

Thank God I had 6 years in my twenties with a Bible camp

and before that years of babysitting...:)

So I am creating a schedule for activity time and also rest times!

*

There are so many people going through stressful times right now.

Please pray for Mat. Anna, Noah and for all those 

we can't mention but you know need prayer...

*

All I know is that God is with us 

in every valley of difficulty we face...

Another Day, Another Project

Cleo; I had the funniest picture of her 

that I sent to someone the other day...

totally grumpy! :)

So I transferred books from our library/chapel

and filled some of these bookshelves...

I read a little of one of the newest 

road to emmaus

and it is really lovely.

I also made our children's book nook! :)

The first child that we know who is visiting 

is our niece L. who is currently 6.

She comes in a few weeks and I am so excited!

I hope to do some really special things with her,

some out and about

and some right at home.

I love this icon. :)

Children will always be welcome in

my and Mr. Husband's lives!

Little by little, we are making our new condo a home! 

Today ~ a creamy chicken dish and continued preperations

I made a new chicken dish last night.
Things were running behind
and I have more on my list
than I can do in one day it seems...
but I did make this dish which I really enjoyed!

It was creamy, warm and soothing. 

Based on this recipe from this cookbook...
I used Campbell's golden mushroom with 1 can water
and did not use peppers or parsley.
Cooked up organic chicken thighs first with a bit of
butter, salt and pepper.

More-with-Less Cookbook.
I had learned of this cookbook when I was in BC.
I think I found my used copy at a library book sale
in London Ontario years ago.
I told my Mom that I used this cookbook
and she said she remembered it,
rummaged in her cookbook cupboard
and she found her copy...
Our school made a cookbook when we
kids were in elementary school;
My Mom cooked with it a lot during those years
and our one regret is that she did not buy a copy for us kids.
But that's how it is and I am just glad she still has her copy!

I could not resist eating my breakfast this morning
with my new willow bowls. So pretty.
I also finished reading the help today.
Still mulling it over...

I finally changed out and cleaned my lampadas.

A few layers of cheese cloth to catch
the burnt wick pieces. 

An old peanut butter jar that was well cleaned
before it became the lampada oil jar,
where our big metal funnel lives...

Wick holders cleaned and taken care of.

It is so good to have the red lampadas back!
I always intended the red ones to be for
'ordinary' time and the clear ones for
the very festive times of year,
such as Christmas, Theophany, Pascha and Transfiguration.

Cleaned the little plates that my buffet lampadas
rest on.

Used one of my special washcloths
that was a wedding gift;
this one is only used for cleaning lampadas. 

 

I cleaned my red lampadas really well before
using them again.
*
I am slowly getting things ready for Thanksgiving.
The lampadas were long over due;
I did a grocery order that we will get late Saturday night
and have put both my crock pots to use
making a chicken bone broth.
I got all the many frozen chicken bones and parts
that were waiting to become chicken broth!
A good friend of mine in NJ gave me the recipe
and I am so glad to try it out!
*
I am also ordering some gluten free things for
experimenting with GF bread
as one in our book club seeks to be
gluten free and so I am going to learn this as well.
I used Ginny's post to think of some things I may want to get.
*
Tonight Mr. Husband and I will be at the farmer's market
getting many things for Thanksgiving dinner!
And of course vegetables for ourselves...
We are really excited and grateful!