The Last

This is my last post for the year, my last recipe, my last word of encouragement for the year.  Sounds like the final good bye, don’t you think?  Oh I’ll be back next year but I am signing off for just a couple of weeks I need time.  Time to reflect, time to think, time to relax, time to spend reading.  I need time to have nothing “hanging over my head.”

We are leaving for Colorado tomorrow to say our final good bye to Bob’s brother.  It’s bittersweet, we are glad he no longer suffers but we will miss him.  We will meet our son at the Denver airport, it’s always good to see John but we can’t be totally happy because it is for a final goodbye.

My job, my job is to give tribute to the ones who made it possible for George to remain at home during this long illness.  I have it ready but can I read it?  IDK

I will say we have hope that we will see George again, soon and very soon.  We don’t deserve this hope but Jesus paid it all.

The Best Cinnamon Rolls You Will Ever Eat

1 quart whole milk, 1 cup vegetable oil, 1 cup sugar–heat this to 150 degrees or just before boiling and then let it cool for at least 45 minutes.

pour 2 tbls. yeast over this cooled mixture and let it set for 1 minute.

Add 8 cups all purpose flour and mix with a spoon until well mixed and let set covered for at least 1 hour.  Then add 1 more cup of flour, 1 tsp heaping baking powder, 1 tsp. scant baking soda, 1 tbls. salt and mix well.

At this point you can start rolling out the dough or you may put it in the refg. for up to 2 days.  Keep your eye on it if it starts to overflow out of the pan, just punch it down.

When ready to prepare rolls: Sprinkle rolling surface generously with flour.  Take half the dough and form a rough rectangle.  Then roll the dough thin, maintaining a general rectangular shape.  Drizzle 1/2 cup melted butter over the dough.  Now sprinkle 1 cup sugar over the butter followed by a generous sprinkling of cinnamon.

Start rolling the dough in a neat line, kep the roll relatively tight as you go.  Pinch the seam of the roll to seal it.  Spread 1 tbls. of butter in the bottome of the pan.  I use dental floss to cut the rolls, make them about 1 inch thick.

Bake 375 for 20 minutes more or less depending on your oven.

Here is the suggested frosting but make what ever you like.

1 bag powdered sugar, 2 tsp. Maple flavoring, 1/2 cup milk, 1/3 cups melted butter, 1/4 cup brewed coffee, 1/8 tsp. salt–mix until smooth and pour over rolls while still warm.

I thought this was way too sweet I will not put so much frosting on the rolls next time.

Mission Minded

 

Just how mission minded are you?  For that matter how mission minded am I?  Could I leave the comfort of home and family and go to. . . .India or Africa?  Could I stay 3 years, 8 years or, or, or forever?  IDK  It’s something to think about.  Then again do I have to?  Can I be mission minded at home?  Well, I could be but am I?

I made soup on Friday and had several couples over to enjoy soup,  blueberry muffins, ice cream with chocolate crackle (all of these recipes you can find on this blog.  Just click on recipes in the side bar).  Back to my story.  We were discussing baptisms and one person said, “I never see any baptisms from women’s ministries or a lot of the other ministries we do in the church.”  GULP  I had to say something but what?  My answer was, “sometimes we sow the seeds and someone else does the harvesting.”  Was that a good answer or was it a cop-out?  Why are we so afraid to plain say would you like some Bible studies?  It’s something to pray about that’s for sure.

Here is one of the soup recipes I made Friday.  We really liked it a lot I would use a little less garlic next time and I use McKay’s Chicken Seasoning in place of chicken stock because it is vegetarian. This is from www.ourbestbites.com.  I love this site it is just plain fun to see what the ladies are cooking up.   I poked holes in my squash and put it in the microwave for about 10 minutes and then peeled it and took the seeds out.

Butternut Squash Soup
Recipe by Our Best Bites

1/2 T olive oil
1 T butter
1/2 C sliced carrots (abt 1 med carrot or 12 baby ones)
2 stalks celery, diced
1 C diced onion
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 medium butternut squash, (abt 4 cups peeled and diced)
1 medium potato, diced (about 2 C diced)
32 oz chicken broth (that’s one box/carton)
1 T brown sugar
1 1/2 t kosher salt
3/4 t dried sage
1 pinch cayenne pepper or a douse of hot sauce

In a large stock pot, heat olive oil and butter. When butter is melted add onions, carrots, celery, and garlic saute for about 4 minutes.  Add everything else and simmer until veggies are done.  I added the brown sugar after the veggies had cooked.  Put all of this in a blender and blend.  I like to sprinkle a little parsley on each bowl before serving.
 

finished product

Flan

I know it has been a long time since we’ve had a recipe.  I don’t know why, I’m still cooking  just as much.  Oh I forgot, I’ve been on the road a lot lately, maybe that’s it.

Next week we  will continue the belief window–I find it interesting and I’m  really interested in seeing where God fits into this window.  I know He does.

I think I will make this recipe tonight.  LOL  I got on the scale this morning and it’s  not good news, I am toying with the idea of going back to my original place and start again.  I can’t, I won’t gain all that weight back.  Having said that–here we go.

Flan

You need a corning pan to sit on your stove top.  Put a little over 1/2 cup of regular sugar in the pan, and let it heat.  It will melt, but first it will lump and clump together.  Be not dismayed it will smooth out.  Stir, and keep stirring.  Don’t let it burn.  Low heat.  When it becomes liquid take the pan and tilt round and round coating the sides til the caramel has cooled completely.  Now you are ready for the filling.

4 eggs, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 can evaporated milk, 2 tsp. Vanilla.  This is additional sugar from the above.  That’s it.  Beat with mixer til sugar dissolved.  Pour through a strainer to trap the squigglys in the eggs.  Pour into the sugar-coated pan and put this pan in a pan of water, preheated, then into the oven for 50 minutes.  Test with a knife to come out clean.  350 degrees.

Cool Refrigerate several hours.  To serve turn flip the pan on platter or plate, hopefully with a lip to contain the sauce, or a low sided bowl.  The sauce is yummy.  Make sure the flan is loose in the pan before you flip so it doesn’t break.  You need to press your dish right against the pan, and flip.

PS

I just attempted to make this, here’s what I learned.  You can’t pour the liquid sugar into another pan or bowl, it cools off too fast.  Don’t let your oven give out as you are baking this.  Yup, right in the middle of the baking my oven went beep, beep, beep and quit.  It won’t go back on, I still have a light so that means I have electricity but no heart or lighted panel.  UGH–I think that means expensive fix.

What about the flan?  I stuck it in the microwave on high, it ran over and now it’s done and cooling, I don’t expect it to be good after all that.  Company coming tonight for dinner, think we will have ice cream.  LOL

Good luck.  LOL

This Morning

It was about 6:00 am and I just turned over in bed and I heard a voice say, “Happy Anniversary.”  LOL  If you knew my man you would know he is never awake much less aware of much at 6:00 am. 

Yup, 43 years of marriage.  You already know it isn’t always perfect.  He can “tick” me off and yet I have noticed the older we get the easier it is.  Praise the Lord.  Don’t get me wrong it has never been exactly hard but we certainly come from different backgrounds.

I remember reading, way back when we were first married and I was not sure I was really happy, something like this: The more you dwell on your unhappiness the more unhappy you become.  Make the best of your decision and decide to be happy.  Take it to the Lord in prayer.  Now that is not exactly how it read but it was good advice that’s for sure.

Here is the Thai Peanut Sauce that goes with the Lettuce Wraps from yesterday.  Not everyone will like this, but we do and Bob is not exactly adventuresome in his eating.

This would be good drizzled over stir fried vegetable or over the rice recipe I will give you next week.  Be sure you use natural peanut butter with no added sugar and NO partially hydrogenated oil.

5 TBS. peanut butter

3 Tbs. water

1 Tbs. soy sauce

3 Tbs. fresh lime juice

2 tsp. honey–maybe 3

2 cloves garlic, peeled

1.16 tsp. salt

1/16 tsp. cayenne pepper

Put it in the blender and blend on  high until smooth and creamy.  Refrigerate until using.  Warm the sauce in a microwave before serving.  Leftover sauce freezes well.  1 Tbs. 46 Calories

Are You Vain?

This is just an honest assessment of myself.  Do you ever do that?  Think about yourself and how you feel about things, how you react to stuff?  Do you wonder if your sensitive? Are you vain? 

Last weekend while visiting our kids, I hurt my 8 year old’s feelings.  We all know a grandma would never do such a thing on purpose.  The truth is I am NOT sensitive.  That may not be a true statement because I am sensitive after the fact.  His mom asked him to  tell me what I did that made him feel bad.  He didn’t really want to do that but she wants him to be able to express how he feels about things (a  good thing for a man to be able to do).  I am sensitive about hurting his feelings, I wanted to cry myself.  But, I am not sensitive when it comes to always knowing how my words make someone else feel.  I didn’t realize when he told me he would miss his mom and dad if he came home with me and I said, “Oh poo,” that I was making him feel bad. 

Isn't this lovely?

How about vanity?  Are you vain?  I don’t think I am very vain and if I am I think I will be cured.  I have a big band-aide on my nose.  Yup it really stands out.  Not only that once the biopsy report comes back I will probably have stitches on my nose, won’t that be fine and dandy.  Then, this fall it gets worse, I am going to have to put a cream on my face that will turn it bright red, this will peel away the top layer of my skin and get rid of the pre-cancer skin condition I have.  Vanity, vanity, I hope this will cure any vanity I have. 

If I were too vain don’t you think I would be successful at Weight Watchers?  I know you have been holding your breath wondering how I am doing.  WELL, I have not lost a pound.  It’s not WW fault, it’s mine.  What to do, I sure don’t want to gain back what I have lost.  It’s a problem. I just called WW and canceled my membership. 

Here’s what’s cookin’!  From the same cookbook–30-day Diabetes Miracle Cookbook–I am telling you I love this cookbook it just has yummy recipes. 

Linda B.’s Sesame Lettuce Wraps with Thai Peanut Sauce 

My Mother's Day gift is right there in the middle do you see it?

.

1/2 tsp canola oil

2 1/4 tsp toasted sesame oil   

1 Tbs. Soy Sauce                                                 

 1 1/2 tsp McKay’s Chicken Broth–I did 2 Tbls. 

1/2 Cup chopped onions fine                                                 

  1 Tbs. honey 

1 clove garlic, minced                                                                 

  pinch of cayenne pepper 

2 Tbs. grated carrot                                                                     lettuce leaves 

1 pkg. drained water-packed extra firm tofu cubed into 1/4 inch cubes 

1/2 Cup Morning star Farms Crumbles 

3 green onions minced 

Heat the oils in a skillet add the chopped onion, green onions, carrot, tofu cubes, and crumbles.  Saute until the onion is tender, 3 to 4 minutes.  Stir in the remaining ingredients, except the lettuce and cook until the tofu is a little brown.  The recipe says 4-5 minutes I cooked it about 15 minutes.  Place 1/4 cup in each lettuce leaf and drizzle with peanut sauce.  This would be really good as a burrito.  It is yummy.  I will give you the peanut sauce tomorrow

There is a Lesson to Be Learned

That’s what my mom would always say, “there’s a lesson here some place.”  I say my lesson is to be happy with what I have or I should say had.  I just got a new phone, I hate it.  I want my old one back!  Why didn’t I just keep what I was familiar with IDK. Why do we always want the newest, the biggest the best?

I was reading about Ruth and Naomi, what a pair they were.  A daughter in law who would not leave her ML and  ML who helped Ruth find a husband.  It seems to me Ruth was a woman who knew what she had a was not interested in bigger, better or new.

I love a good romantic story and the Bible is full of them.  Really the Bible has wonderful stories, exciting stories, romantic stories, dramatic stories, sad and scary stories.  What a book.

How can I be excited about soup this time of year?  I just do really love soup and this is an especially great dish.  Again this is from the cookbook, The 30-day Diabetes Miracle Cookbook.

THREE SISTERS STEW

Makes 8 1/2 Cups

1 1/2 Tbs. Smart Balance                                              1 Cup whole kernel corn

1 1/2 Cups Morningstar Crumbles                            2 Cups 3/4 inch cubed peeled butternut squash

3/4 chopped green bell pepper                                  2 Tb. McKay’s Beef broth

1 Cup chopped onion                                                       3/4 tsp. dried basil

2 cloves minced garlic                                                   1/16 tsp. cayenne pepper

3 cups water                                                                       1/2 tsp. salt-I omitted

1 can pinto beans, drained                                           1 can diced tomatoes

1 can kidney beans, drained                                        2 Tb. water

1 Tb. cornstarch

I added 2 envelopes of Sazon Seasoning–find this in a Mexican store but it’s not in the recipe.

Melt the margarine in a large pot over medium heat.  Add the crumbles, pepper, onion, garlic and saute until vegetables are tender, 4-5 minutes.  Add all the remaining ingredients, except the 2 Tb. water and cornstarch.  Cover and simmer until the vegetables are almost tender, about 20 minutes.  Whisk the cornstarch and water together, and stir into the stew.  Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, and serve.

I have to admit I doubled almost all the ingredients except the corn,  kidney beans and tomatoes.  I used GW Broth 6 envelopes because I didn’t have any McKay’s Beef Style Broth.

Twelve for Dinner

LOL I know you are thinking about Martha and how she seemed to always have at least twelve stopping at her house for dinner, meetings and probably even as overnight guests.  That Mary really should have been more help but after all she was sitting at the feet of Jesus.  I might add I need to sit at the feet of Jesus a little more myself.

When you see the pan in the middle of the table you know we aren't very formal!

Sabbath for lunch we had twelve and six were the little people.  They are funny as can be and we had so much fun just watching them.  Meal time was really fun, we have one who loves to eat and we have one who pretty much only likes toast and butter.

We had lots of fun outside riding the pink jeep and playing in the sun.  They love the water and especially turning on the hose and watering the sidewalk. We had lots of fun at the park.

Here they are!

The parents of these kids are amazing.  They seem to take everything in stride.  I wonder how I was as a parent, it seems I have forgotten.

 

Now the house is empty, the mess is nearly cleaned up and I don’t like it so neat and clean.  I miss the noise, the clutter, the Lego’s, the paper, markers and scissors.  I have cleaned the finger prints off the doors and windows  now I wish they were still there.  It was over so fast.

 

Family, God sure knew what he was doing when He created families.  As I reflect on the happenings in this world it makes me look forward to heaven.  Just think of the great big family we will have when we get to heaven.

 

I must confess I have not made this recipe but it looks and sounds so good.  I would just substitute the meat with either humus or a chicken substitute.

 

Greek Style Pita Sandwiches

Recipe by Our Best Bites

12 oz  boneless skinless chicken, sliced into 1/4″ slices
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 1/2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2  teaspoons minced fresh oregano
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 C diced tomato
1/4 C diced cucumber
2 Tablespoons diced red onion

6 Tablespoons Greek Style Yogurt
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 Tablespoon fresh minced parsley
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

4 Lettuce leaves
4 pita bread halves
2-3 Tbs crumbled Athenos Feta cheese

Combine meat, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a shallow dish and set aside.  Heat a medium skillet to medium high heat.  While pan is heating, combine Greek yogurt, lemon zest, parsley and 1/4 teaspoon salt and set in fridge to chill.  Add meat mixture to pan and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until meat is cooked through and then remove from heat.   Combine tomato, cucumber, and red onion.  Too assemble, place one lettuce leaf in each pita.  Divide meat mixture between pitas, add cucumber and tomato mixture and then top with yogurt sauce and a sprinkle of feta. 

I’m Puzzled

I’m puzzled about many things, oh to be able to sort out life and have the sorting be correct would be wonderful.  I know I’m not making sense.

One of my level-headed friends is in the hospital, he has always been IN CONTROL.  Now as I sit and watch and listen I realize he is fighting to still be the boss but. . . .If he had taken better care of his body would he be in better shape. Probably!  If I take better care of mine will it prepare me for the dismal days of old age?  Maybe!

Then what about this. . .All parents damage their children.  It cannot be helped.  Youth, like pristine glass, absorbs the prints of its handlers.  Some parents smudge, others crack, a few shatter childhoods completely into jagged little pieces, beyond repair.  Yikes!!  Good thing I didn’t know this before we had children.

And this.  Parents rarely let go of their children, so children let go of them.  They move on.  They move away.  The moments that used to define them–a mother’s approval, a father’s nod–are covered by moments of their own accomplishments.  It is not until much later, as the skin sags and the heart weakens, that children understand; their stories, and all their accomplishments, sit atop the stories of the mothers and fathers, stones upon stones, beneath the waters of their lives.

For sure I am in the skin sagging and the heart weakening stage and I do understand some of the things that use to aggravate me about my mother.

This is the weekend ALL the kids will be here–I will get some pictures for you!! What fun we will have.  This is one of the recipes I will be making.

Potatoes

2  Mr. Dell’s frozen hash browns

2 cans evaporated milk

1 stick butter –I will use less

4 T Mckays Chicken Seasoning–I will use a little more

Put in the largest oblong dish, bigger than a 9×13–bake 350 for 45 minutes

It’s Crunch Time

What happened to the lazy, hazy days of summer?  When I was a kid it seemed like summer lasted forever.  When I was a young mom by the time summer ended I was really ready to get those kids back on a schedule.  Now that I am an empty nester, LOL who am I kidding I am long past being an empty nester.  My nest has dried up and blown out of the tree.  The older I get the faster time goes.  Is it just me that this has happened to?

I hate how fast time flies!  I feel like summer is almost over and it doesn’t help that I am getting ready to take a trip to Atlanta and will be gone for 10 days.  My far away kids arrive in Lincoln the same day I do.  Won’t that be fun?  Speaking of fun I will actually be on the same plane with them from Chicago.  I can’t wait.

However, between now and then I have plenty to do and only a week to get it done.  We have a birthday to celebrate, yup, my fella is having a BIG birthday. I won’t tell what it is but it’s pretty big.  We need to celebrate.  I have bread to bake, granola to make and a downstairs to get ready for action.  For five days ALL of the kids and grands will be here, just think of the fun we will have with a 12, 7, 5,4,2 and 1-year-old.  I would guess we will all fall into bed each night. Well, everyone but the kids.

Oh, you want to know about Weight Watchers–well finally I settled down and lost 3.7 pounds this week.  I know it’s not very good but it’s not WW fault it’s mine.

When we use to visit my husband’s parents his mom would always make Swedish Pancakes–my son loves them.  Today they are mostly called Crepes.

Put in a blender

 2 eggs

2 T oil

3 T sugar

1 Cup flour

1 1/3 milk

Blend well.  This is actually better if you make the batter the night before.  Spray your non-stick skillet and get it pretty hot and just pour enough batter to coat the bottom of the pan.  Don’t turn the crepe over until it is almost cooked through then flip it over and roll it up.  These are really yummy and you can either use syrup or grandma served them with blueberries.

Thunking Thursday

LOL how do you like my title, “Thunking Thursday”–I know you don’t get it, I don’t either.  Have you ever gone to a blog and each day of the week  has a name like; Pink Saturday, Frivolous Friday or Trivial Tuesday?  I just thought we could call Thursday, Thunking Thursday. 

On Thunking Thursday we are going to thunk or is that think.  IDK–Where did all this silliness come from so late at night?  Maybe it’s because we are going to see our little people this weekend.  Maybe it’s because we are going to see our far away little people very soon.  Or maybe it is just because we are alive and blessed.

I went to WW on Wednesday, UP one pound.  No reason not to be because I still have not totally embraced this way of eating.  It seems like I do better with less choices, in other words I am back to the fact that I have no will power.  I bought some WW ice cream bars, well in one day I had three.  Don’t smile this is serious.  Where has my will power gone?

Here is a fun recipe for Black Bean Lasagna

1 cup chopped onions

1/2 Cup chunky salsa

1 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp cumin

1 Cup light ricotta cheese

1 1/2 Cup shredded cheddar or Mozzarella cheese

1/2 Cup chopped green pepper

10 uncooked lasagna noodles

1 15 oz. can black beans, drained

1-28 oz. can crushed tomatoes

1 egg

Heat oven to 350, spray 13×9 inch baking dish with Pam.  In large bowl mash beans slightly stir in tomatoes, onions, peppers, salsa, chili powder and cumin.  Mix well.  In small bowl combine ricotta cheese, dash garlic powder and egg blend well.  Spread 1 cup of tomato mixture over bottom of pan, top with half of the noodles, top with half of remaining tomato mixture, spoon ricotta mixture over top spread carefully top with half of the cheese then with remaining noodles, tomato mixture, and cheese.  Cover tightly with spray coated foil and bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes or until noodles are tender.  Uncover let stand 15 minutes before serving.