Leininger Homestead

 Rosemary and Honey Tea

Apple and Spice Tea

Boil spices for five or more minutes, then add sliced apples and reduce heat. Simmer for one or two more minutes. Strain, add honey or brown sugar to sweeten.

 Lemon and Cayenne Tea

The best cure for a common cold. For every one cup of tea, add the following ingredients.

Juice from one lemon
1 pinch of cayenne pepper
1 thin slice of ginger root,
2 teaspoons honey

Boil water, add ginger and cayenne. Boil for one minute, turn off heat, add lemon juice and honey. Drink as hot as you safely can to relieve cold symptoms and sore throat.

 Orange and Clove tea

Add the folowing ingredients for each 2 cups of tea. With a fine cheese grater or nutmeg grinder, shred the orange peel down to the white, fibrous skin. You'll need about half of the orange, or more if you like a nice strong tea. The shreddings are called "zest"

Orange zest
2 crushed cloves
1 pinch ginger powder
1 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
1 hibiscus flower

Boil cloves, ginger, anise, cinnamon in water for five minutes. Heat down and add hibiscus flower and orange zest. Let steep for two minutes, strain, sweeten with honey and enjoy.

Golden Milk

Golden milk is an infusion of turmeric with any kind of milk. Coconut milk is especially conducive to the anti-inflammatory properties that this drink boasts. The flavor is sweet but medicinal. You can substitute the coconut milk for any other kind of milk.

2 cups sweetened coconut milk
1 tablespoon crushed fresh ginger
1 tablespoon of turmeric powder
3 black peppercorns
2 tablespoons honey or sweeten to taste

Heat coconut milk to a simmer, whisk in ginger, turmeric, and peppercorns. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain and drink hot.

Do you have recipes for wonderful winter teas? Post a link in the comments!

On Saturday, we hitched up our camper to Ed's truck, and pulled it to it's new home in Western North Carolina. That alone doesn't sound so bad. Except...

Ed had never pulled the camper before.

The truck had never pulled the camper up hill.

We hadn't even seen the lot we were supposed to be putting it in.

We didn't have jobs yet.

We were so new at living in the camper, that we couldn't even tell if the water tank was empty.

We literally did not know if we were going to make it.

Everything was terrifying that day. I had to laugh a few times just to avoid having a panic attack. At one point we got turned around looking for a gas station and ended up pulling the camper through the parking lot of a Target. Yeah. I don't know how we managed that one.

How are we supposed to find peace and comfort during these confusing times, where every experience is new and all things comfortable and familiar seem to wash away?

Well, scripture talks about that. I don't claim to be a teacher of the bible, but I can show you where I find my anchor during these hurricanes of life changes and new experiences.

For I know the plans I have for you”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11, HCSB

Look at the way the character of God is revealed in this passage. If we believe in God's all-knowing sovereignty, and perfect love, than whatever happens to us must be done in love.

This is why I tell you: Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the sky: They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they? Can any of you add a single cubit to his height by worrying? Matthew 6:25-34 HCSB

I look at this passage and it trains my heart to trust that I am not alone. The Lord is with me, and does not leave me to face the unsure circumstances of life by myself. He orchestrates all things. He has already set a plan into motion. When I understand that I am not in control of my life, than I can rest in the peace of knowing that He is.

I'm pretty sure that our truck was operating on equal parts gasoline and grace that day. We pulled into the site around 6, and the owner helped Ed back perfectly into the lot. I stood on the sidelines and watched in amazement as my new home was parked under the comfort of a strong old tree, and the sun turned the autumn leaves bright gold and crimson on the mountain behind us.

That night Ed opened one of my study bibles and read two or three verses out loud. I don't even remember what they were, although I know it was Ecclesiastes. But for some reason, I was immensely comforted inside that moment, knowing that the words I heard were truth and wisdom. These were truth's I trusted and I could anchor myself myself. Armed with truth, trust, and the wisdom of the bible, I felt peace. I hope you can too, no matter what new and unfamiliar things God brings into your life this year.

Happy Camping.

1. Squash Soup

If I have a squash lying around the house, that's pretty much a soup waiting to happen. Pumpkin soup  is one of my favorites to make. But almost any squash can be boiled, mashed, and whisked into chicken broth. Other great additions to this soup are sauteed onions, apples, sweet potato, and sometimes beans. If you have a favorite squash soup, please post a link to your recipe in the comments!

2. Potato Casseroles

Potato Casseroles are classic comfort food. You can layer your scalloped potatoes with cheese and ham for a delicious meal, or dice them and toss them with chicken and ranch dressing to switch things up a little. You can even mash them, layer them with stuffing, turkey, and gravy for a thanksgiving style casserole.

3. Crock Pot Stews

These are great for busy nights when you won't have time to cook! Don't forget to make a nice beef stew with carrots, onions, potatoes, and rosemary this season. A spicy sausage stew is easy to throw together as well. Just add an onion, some beef broth, a can of Rotel, and some pasta or rice to it. When dinner time comes, curl up on the couch with a blanket and enjoy!

4. Pot Pies

Pot pies are a festive and exciting way to celebrate cold weather. Few foods are more comforting, unified, and tasty. It's also a well balanced meal if you add a good amount of veggies. If you don't want to make the crust yourself, you can always get them very inexpensively in the refrigerator section of the grocery store. This is one of my favorite dishes!

5. Creamy and cheesy soups.

At my house, I am the queen of soups. Give me a bullion cube and a pantry full of odds and ends, and I can make a delicious soup you will never forget. This is why fall and winter are my favorite seasons to cook. Soups take on a fantastic richness when you add flavor with heavy whipping cream or cheese. Try a potato and corn chowder this season with Parmesan cheese, or with cheddar. While you are cheesin' it up, make a beer-cheese soup to pair with home made chicken wings or pita crackers.

6. Chicken Parmesan

Chicken Parmesan can be made so many different ways. I personally love a breaded chicken fillet atop a mound of saucy spaghetti with Parmesan and mozzarella baked on top. If you are a vegetarian, eggplant could be a good substitute for the chicken. Bake some garlic bread to go on the side and you have a perfect meal.

7. Spicy Curries 

The trick to a good curry is to have lots of sauce. Aside from using a generous amount of ghee while infusing the spices, I usually accomplish this with a can of coconut milk and/or a can of tomatoes. Many people add yogurt as well. I use onions, carrots, chicken, celery, and even cauliflower to make a good hearty curry. If you don't have your own spices to mix, you can always get curry powder at almost any grocery store.

8. Classic Roasted Veggies with Meat

I love filling a cookie sheet with diced potatoes, yams, squash, garlic and onion, and drizzling some olive oil, on top. If you love spices, try adding rosemary or sage as well. Bake at 400 for about an hour and serve with almost any meat. I pair this with chicken that has slow cooked in the crock pot all day. The next day, I throw all the leftovers together and make a soup!

9. Thanksgiving Soup

Speaking of leftover soup. I cooked a whole turkey in my sister's camper-sized-apartment-kitchen last year and made all the main courses of a thanksgiving meal, just to throw into a soup. I'm not kidding. turkey soup with gravy, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and green bean casserole in it? Who in their right mind would say no to that? When I make this soup, I use my biggest pot, and freeze the leftovers. I usually have enough to last from thanksgiving till new years.

10. Chili and Bread Bowl

Chili is delicious any time of year, but to make it extra special this winter, pick up some round sourdough bread and carve out the centers of the loaves. Fill with chili, and top with gooey, melted cheese. No one is going to argue with argue with that, especially if it's paired with some nice fluffy winter socks, and hot chocolate or pie for dessert.

 Are you ready for winter? I can't wait!

I'm falling in love with apples and yams. What a wonderful combination! The subtle sweetness and earthiness of yams, and homey warmth of apples make fall cooking so exciting. If you are looking for the perfect easy side to serve with a dinner this fall, than try this tonight. I tried this hash to spice up an otherwise boring chicken dish. It definetely stole the show! I hope you enjoy!



Makes 2 servings.

Ingredients

2 Yams, peeled.
2 small Honey crisp Apples, cored.
1 large yellow onion, or 2 small ones

1 clove garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons bacon fat
1 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 Degrees F.
2. Dice vegetables into dice-sized pieces and put in cast iron skillet
3. add bacon fat and sprinkle garlic and salt throughout.
4. Place in oven uncovered for 1 hour
5. let cool and enjoy!

Have you ever been between jobs, crashing on someone's couch, and trying to buy groceries with the four-year-old pennies previously cemented to the bottom of the cup-holder in your sister's car?

I have. (Sorry, Haley.)

Then I started to pay more attention to how I was using my time and money at the grocery store.

I've tested and used a lot of apps promising gift-cards, rebates, and coupons, but these seven work the very best.  It's always important to me to be frugal with my money and save up for the times when life is not predictable. Thanks to the cash I earned from these apps, our first grocery shopping trip as a married couple will cost us absolutely nothing.

Can't beat that with a stick.

If you want save some money on groceries, download these apps. Using them to save even a little money every month can help you bounce back from tough situations (without getting into debt.)

1. Ibotta

Ibotta is a grocery rebate app. This means that after you buy certain items and scan them into the app, you get a rebate of anywhere from .25 cents a couple of dollars. You can also earn bigger rebates on some household items like vacuum cleaners, and even at restaurants. The app is very user friendly, and the rebates are high-value.

Ibotta is free to download, and if you can get your friends to join too, than you can earn monthly bonuses for working together! In fact, if you join and redeem a rebate using my referral link, you earn $10 right away, and I earn $5. That gets you half-way to the cash-out minimum of $20.

My favorite part of this app: any-brand rebates of .25 cents for staple items like bread, milk, and veggies. These rebates score me free produce items all of the time. I bought two carrots the other day for .17 cents, and Ibotta gave me a .25 cent rebate on them!

Cons: sometimes you have watch an advertisement before redeeming a rebate on an item.

2. Checkout 51

This grocery rebate app offers excellent and high-value rebates. It's very easy to use. Save offers that you want to a list, go shopping, scan in your receipt, and then pick the offers that you want to redeem. Ibotta and Checkout 51 both require a $20.00 balance on your account before you cash out. Checkout 51 does not have inactivity fees. They offer fewer rebates than Ibotta, but they are for commonly purchased brands. They also have bonuses for shopping at certain stores, like WalMart.

Favorite part of this app: produce rebates!

Cons: A smaller list of rebates than some of the other apps.

3. MobiSave

This grocery rebate app has a lot of any-brand rebates! It's my favorite rebate app. It often offers free items, where users can purchase a bottle of shower gel, or a bottle of juice, and be fully refunded for it.

Not only that, but there's no cashing out because the moment your rebates are approved, they send money to your PayPal, .10 off bread may not sound like much, but .10 off pasta, sauce, chips, milk, eggs, and most of the other stuff you buy? It adds up fast! I've actually made more money with this app than most of my other ones, because they offer so many any-brand rebates for stuff I already buy.

4. WalMart

If you shop at WalMart without using this app, than you are throwing money away. The WalMart app has an amazing savings-catcher feature that compares what you payed for your items to the other sales in town. If you are consistent and scan in all of your receipts, you will catch some savings! you can redeem them in the form of WalMart gift cards!

Cons: You will only catch savings on the brand name items that other stores carry. I buy mostly generic store brands, unless I have rebate or coupon combo that brings it down in price.

5. Shopkick

To earn gift cards with this app, you don't even have to buy anything. Walk into stores to redeem "kicks" and scan items while you are in the store for market research. You can choose from a wide variety of store gift cards. I have already earned a $7 of WalMart gift card with this app, and half the time, I don't even remember to use it when I am in the store.

If you join using my referral link, I get 250 points.

Cons: sometimes in order to earn a lot of points, you have to go to other departments in the store. That can be really exhausting. I normally only redeem points for the departments I'm already shopping in.

6. Krazy Coupon Lady

This app is not like the others. I use this app as an educational tool. KCL posts excellent combos on how to get freebies and moneymakers at different grocery stores. It helps to browse through the feed once and a while and see what kind of overlapping rebates you can get on certain items. She also posts articles on store coupon policies, rewards programs, and apps you can use to save on groceries. It includes formulas on great combinations for each sale, and you can save sales you want to redeem to a list!

7. ReceiptHog 

The ReceiptHog app gives you "coins" when you submit your receipts and answer two quick questions about your shopping experience. You can redeem the coins for money via pay-pal. The more coins you earn before cashing out, the more they are worth. Here's a list of the potential earnings for your reference.
1000 coins = $5
1800 coins =$10
3200 coins = $20
4500 coins = $30
I hope that these apps prove to be as useful for you as they are for me. Just remember that a little bit of planning and discipline can go a long ways when it comes to using these money-saving tools.

If you enjoyed this post, please share it!

Happy shopping!