Gluten-Free Flour Blends

January 16, 2017February 10, 2017 - The Country Wife Leave a comment

In an attempt to try out some gluten-free (GF) baking recipes, I’ve been exploring GF flour blends. Ok, if I’m being honest, after reading a bit about some digestive issues I was suffering from I decided that maybe gluten was having an impact on my intestinal tract. So, in a confident, “I’m going to get healthy” moment I splurged and bought a gigantic bag of coconut flour from Sam’s Club…thinking it would work for a straight up 1-to-1 switch out for all-purpose flour. No, nope, not really. Unless you are going for super-flat and sawdust grit in your recipes. Just sayin’.

Needless to say this massive fail on my part definitely got me thinking that maybe eating healthy sweets just isn’t meant to taste good. So I shoved the coconut flour to the back of my cabinet after a few disappointing recipe attempts and went back to my usual ingredients.

Savoring the Simple Life: Simply Healthy Living

January 9, 2017February 10, 2017 - The Country Wife 2 Comments

Let me start by saying I’m not a nutrition or fitness expert. I’ve struggled with my weight over the years and am constantly working to love and accept my body in its current state. But I can share with you my personal experience that has brought me to where I am today…a state of simply healthy living.

Choosing Stillness: 10 Tips for Slowing Down

January 2, 2017May 3, 2018 - The Country Wife 4 Comments

Stillness is absolutely a choice. I know, that can be hard to hear. But it’s true. Stillness is a choice that can seem obstinate and far away, even unattainable and it is definitely easier said than done, like for real. But still a choice nonetheless. I can say this, because I’ve been on the crazy train of hectic schedules and full calendars and I’ve made the choice to get off and be still. I did it, and you can too.

Perhaps, stillness is appealing to you…foreign and new, enticing you to try to figure it out. There was a time when I was absolutely overcome by my overloaded commitments and my soul sincerely yearned for stillness. Maybe you’ve been there. Maybe you are there. Trust me, coming from the other side, stillness is achievable and oh, so worth the effort.

Indoor S’mores Casserole

December 26, 2016February 10, 2017 - The Country Wife Leave a comment

I heart s’mores. I mean really, truly, love the yummy combination of chocolate, mallow, and graham. My mouth is watering just thinking about the flavors (insert long, satisfying sigh here).

S’mores have been a summertime favorite for us on the fire pit, as I’m sure most of you might also agree. But what about the other seasons of the year? Why should we forget about these delectable treats in the cold and frosty days of winter?

The answer: we don’t have to. S’mores Casserole—made right in your oven. Now you can add some warmth to your kitchen with a hot oven and send the tantalizing smell of s’mores throughout the house! What a perfect pairing with hot cocoa on a cold afternoon! (Are you convinced to go try this recipe yet?)

Pecan Caramel Popcorn

December 19, 2016February 10, 2017 - The Country Wife Leave a comment

Those that know me well; know that I have a slight obsession with Christmas. I relish this season of hope, peace, and love. I love the warm and cozy smells of the holidays, the crackling fireplaces, the fresh-fallen blanket of snow…these things awaken my senses and nourish my soul.

I bust out all my favorite Christmas movies, put my Christmas playlists on a constant repeat cycle, and I spend a whole lotta time in the kitchen. I love to bake, and the holidays, for me, just equate baking love.

Drawing Nearer to God in the Stillness {Part 2}

December 12, 2016March 6, 2017 - The Country Wife Leave a comment

In Part 1 of “Drawing Nearer to God in the Stillness,” I shared how I reconnect with the Lord by spending quiet time alone with Him on a daily basis. I shared with you what quiet time is and what it can look like. I am hopeful that the readers of Country Wife Chronicles also shared their own examples of what quiet time can look like in their comments on Part 1 and will do so again here.

Drawing Nearer to God in the Stillness {Part 1}

December 5, 2016March 6, 2017 - The Country Wife Leave a comment

Every once in awhile, seemingly at random, I begin to feel distanced from God…maybe only slightly, but it’s there. A prayer that feels like it’s left hanging in the atmosphere, never quite reaching the heavens. A rushed-through devotional because I just don’t have the time today to let the message sink in and truly resonate with my soul. A solemn, bummed out feeling that I can’t quite seem to place. A general lack of connection…

Mexi-Style Breakfast Hash

November 28, 2016February 10, 2017 - The Country Wife Leave a comment

When Wildland Man is away and my motivation is lacking in the kitchen, I find that a nice big-batch meal is ideal. I work my magic, or lack there of, in the kitchen once for a whole lot of pay out, and then I have leftovers on hand throughout the week to reach for when I’m not wanting to make anything new. Which happens a lot. I’ve mentioned my issues with this before, right?

This breakfast hash is the perfect big-batch dish—it is so savory and yummy that I can honestly eat it for any meal of the day—not just breakfast.

Learning to Live Simply

November 21, 2016February 10, 2017 - The Country Wife Leave a comment

Let me just state it bluntly: I had to get used to frugality. Saving instead of spending was a fairly natural mindset for me, but in a career that paid me well and increased my salary with each consecutive year, convenience buys were worth it and price tags weren’t all that important.

And then the shift…

How to Walk Away from a Career…in Search of your True Calling {Part 2}

November 14, 2016February 10, 2017 - The Country Wife Leave a comment

Well, in Part 1 of this post, I filled you in on a bit of my backstory. I shared how I felt I got a little swept up in the motion of things during my college years and ended up in a career I never envisioned for myself. And how, ultimately, remaining in that unfulfilling career led to much misery and unrest on my part.

That brings us to today’s post, Part 2 of How to Walk Away from a Career…in Search of Your True Calling.