NOVEMBER!!!

Wow...I can hardly believe how fast time is flying by! Seems like just yesterday we were in the midst of summer and now we are heading straight for Thanksgiving. I won't complain, though. It is truly my favorite time of the year.

This week I have a favor to ask. It's not a big one...but it's big to me! Would you kindly go to my website at TheOddSparrow.com and click on the "Vote for Me" box? It will take you to a page where you can vote for me in a Christmas decorating contest for my site. You will have to scroll down that page to find The Odd Sparrow, but I am there and will definitely appreciate your efforts. If it is easier, you can just click on the link here to vote, but I am sure you will want to see the beautiful graphics that you are voting for. They were expertly created by my sweet son who does all of my graphics for me and to whom I owe a great deal of thanks.

Secondly, I need to remind you of our Tuesday Treasures themed shopping at Shabby Lane Shops. Of course, The Odd Sparrow participates in this event each Tuesday! If you click on my Tuesday Treasures category, you will find an array of sweet gifts that I am offering at a discount this Tuesday only. Our theme this week is "Cherished Holiday Gifts." Just use the coupon code I have put at the top of the page when you check out and you will receive an additional 15% off this week! How easy does that make your holiday shopping?!!! If you are in my immediate area and want to save on shipping, email me at OddSparrow@msn.com and I will work that out with you.

Next on the agenda...the recipe contest. The submission deadline for recipes for the contest was 10/31/2009. We have only had a total of eleven submissions!!! Now, that is NOT a lot...so the odds are great for one lucky winner. Wish you had submitted your favorite cookie recipe? Do you want to share your twist on a soup or stew? OK...want a little grace on this? I will give you a few more days just in case you missed the original deadline. YOU NOW HAVE UNTIL SATURDAY 11/7/09 AT MIDNIGHT! Any recipe will do...and you can submit as many as you like! Each submission will give you one entry and a chance to win a $25 gift certificate to TheOddSparrow.com. All you need to do is submit your recipe to me at OddSparrow@msn.com. That's it! And in the meantime, I would like to share with you another easy peasy recipe that was submitted to me for this contest and one that I think you will enjoy.

This one comes to you courtesy of Heidi in Michigan:

Spinach/cheese pie

1 small package of chopped frozen spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed dry
1 small jar of roasted red peppers, drained, lightly rinsed, and chopped
4 large eggs
1 16 oz. container of cottage cheese
2 cups shredded Italian blend cheese
1/4 cup of parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix all ingredients together in mixing bowl. Pour into greased glass pie pan. Sprinkle top with a bit more parmesan. Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour until pie is solid and browned on top. Enjoy!

Now...I have not tried this one yet, but I think I am going to make it Tuesday evening. It just sounds so yummy. I think it would go great with a cup of tomato soup....oooooooh...I am getting hungry! You will soon find these recipes and many others on my site under the recipes category. And remember...I will be sharing that awesome chicken dish I promised...real soon!

ONE MORE THING: Keep an eye out...the trees you see on the first page of my site will be available from me later this week!!! You will want to hurry to get yours as supplies are limited! Also coming this week: Christmas tags...and boy! are they ever beautiful! Keep an eye on us...we are adding new things and working hard to make this your premier shopping site this Christmas!

Well, stuff mah peppahs!

Good Monday morning, everyone! I am just wondering....have you entered the recipe contest yet? You have til October 31st to submit your favorite dish...and enter for a $25 gift certificate to The Odd Sparrow, so what do you have to lose?

Remember that tomorrow is Tuesday Treasures at Shabby Lane Shops. You will love the selection from our shops offered this week for our special Warm & Cozy Holiday Home theme. I don't know about you, but I think this is going to be the best Tuesday Treasures theme ever! When I think of the Christmas season, I get warm fuzzies thinking about the coziness of home. Please join The Odd Sparrow at this awesome shopping event and don't forget, there is a discount code at the top of the Tuesday Treasures page especially for you!!!

Here's another awesome recipe I wanted to share from my contest! Once again it is brought to you by Francie of The Scented Cottage. I tried this last week and it was awesome....a perfect dish for your cool fall days. The green peppers are loaded with vitamin C to help keep away colds too!


Stuffed Bell Peppers

4 or 5 bell peppers
1 lb ground beef
1 sm. can corn
1 sm. onion, diced
1 sm. can diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cup tomato sauce (Ragu works great)
salt and pepper to taste

Cut tops off pepper, clean out and wash. You can dice pepper tops and add to mixture or freeze them to use later.Combine diced tomatoes and tomato sauce together with 1/4 cup water.Lightly brown ground meat. Add corn, diced tomatoes, diced onion ( diced peppers if desired). Add 1/2 cup of tomato sauce mixture to ingredients and stir. Season with salt and pepper to taste.In bottom of crock pot add rest of tomato sauce. Fill peppers with ground meat mixture, any left over mixture place in crock pot with tomato sauce then place filled peppers on top, cover and cook on low approx 6 hours. Baste peppers occasionally with tomato sauce .


You can add a little rice with the meat mixture if you like...that's what I did. Also, I served this will buttered noodles and a tossed salad. It will warm you from the inside out on a chilly fall day, so give it a try.

Next time I hope to share with you a great recipe I just tried for chicken. I think you are going to love this one too!!!

Have a great Monday, and I'll see you over at The Odd Sparrow!

Are you ready to do the Texas Two Step?

Ok, folks...no pics yet of this! I am making this recipe tonight for dinner. Think I might just use the crock pot since I will be going out for a bit... I'll let you know how it turns out, but it is sure to be yummy! This wonderful recipe was submitted to our recipe contest by my dear friend, Francie Thornton of The Scented Cottage.

Texas Two Step Chicken

MAKES 8 SERVINGS
3 cups salsa
6 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
6 cups hot cooked rice
1 sm can crushed pineapple or chunks (if you like pineapple and your preference)

In a medium mixing bowl, combine salsa, sugar and mustard. Place chicken in a 2-quart, shallow glass baking dish. Pour sauce mixture over chicken, turning to coat all sides.Cover and let marinate 4 to 6 hours.Preheat oven to 400 degrees.Remove cover from chicken; bake for 20 minutes or until juices run clear when chicken is pierced with a fork.

Serve with rice and pineapple.

FOR DETAILS OF THE RECIPE CONTEST, SEE THE POST BELOW. THERE IS STILL TIME TO ENTER!!!

ALSO...TOMORROW IS TUESDAY TREASURES AT The Odd Sparrow and Shabby Lane Shops. Our theme this week is Around the Holiday Table. Please join us and shop, shop, shop as we prepare for a great holiday season.

Time to Nest...and WIN!!!

It is that time of year again and we are celebrating with a Fall recipe contest! Don't you just love to cook and bake during the cooler weather? It just has a way of making a house a home.

This is how it works:

Please submit your favorite fall recipe to my email address at: OddSparrow@msn.com. You will be entered in a contest to receive a gift certificate to TheOddSparrow.com in the amount of $25.00!!! Recipes must be submitted to my email on or before 10/31/2009. Winner will be announced the week of Thanksgiving. Recipes will be featured each week between now and Thanksgiving right here.

Now isn't that worth submitting a recipe for? I can't wait to see what you all send in...and I'll be trying them out too!

So very long....my apologies!

It has been a long few months and I have not been updating my blog. I apologize to those of you who have visited only to find that there is no news being posted. I have been lax...I admit. Somehow when you plan for out of town company, vacation, and get sick, your time just flies away from your grasp. But now I am happy to say that I am back and getting on track with my blogging activities and newsletters.

This is just a little heads up for you. I am going to send out my newsletter on October 1 and I wanted to let you all know in advance. If you are not on the email list, please sign up now...not only will you receive the newsletter, but I will also send you a $5.00 coupon just for joining.

I have lots of great stuff coming up...one is the Fall Recipe contest. Details are in the newsletter and there is a fabulous prize for one lucky winner. Please be sure to participate.

In addition, I am featuring some products from the online store. Please hop on over and check them out at TheOddSparrow.com.

Before I go, I wanted to share a few photos from our long vacation with you...first is a pic of my sis and me. It's a pretty bad pic of me, but my sis looks pretty good!

Next up, from our visit to Tennessee, my son's silly birthday party. This is him on the couch with three of his five second cousins. Aren't they adorable???

After our visit to Tennessee, we headed to Florida and none other than Disney World. This is a pretty cool pic my hubby took of the geodesic dome in Epcot one evening.

Hope you enjoyed a little of our trip. I'll be posting really soon with some of the awesome news that I cannot wait to share. Til then...enjoy your days.

Blessings...

He hath made everything beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end. - Ecclesiastes 3:11

We do get so enamoured with the world around us that we forget to appreciate the simple things that God has done for us, don't we? My mind just goes from one thing to the next throughout the day, barely taking in what is going on around me. When I lay down to sleep, I pretty much crash, having never taken a moment to thank the Lord for His precious gifts: loved ones and the beauty of His creation alike. I like to think I am the grateful sort, but sadly I do not take the time within my spirit to settle into the blessings.

Today I am thanking my Heavenly Father for my blessings. I thank Him for the beauty of His creation surrounding me.

I am grateful for those He has put into my life, from the very young...

...to the more mature...

.

and everyone in between.

O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people. - Psalm 105:1

So please...leave a comment and share what God has blessed you with today.

I'm late again...but I have a Sneak Peek!

Not only am I late posting my Monday blog, but I am also late in showing off the marvelous gift I receive for my birthday. This gorgeous faux birthday cake was made specially for me and it matches my living room! It is a one of a kind, but you too can have an awesome faux cake from my dear friend Francie at The Scented Cottage. She is sure to whip you up a delectable treat for your home. Her eye candy is on her site, including some amazing cakes she just finished this week. Be sure to check it out! TheScentedCottage.com

Ok...now for some show and tell. I am in the process of listing some of my most recent finds on my site. Now, so far, none of them are up as I took a break just to post this little peek. But if you keep checking back, you will find the following items and a WHOLE lot more. Oh...and lest you think I have not been busy creating...here is just one little peek at a frame that I hand painted which will also be listed this week. So there you have it. I have been very busy behind the scenes and will continue to work hard to bring you some amazing home decor and gifts for your country cottage. Please leave a note and let me know you are out there reading! It is always a pleasure to hear from my readers! And don't forget to hop on over to The Odd Sparrow to enjoy some one of a kind shopping!