I have been home from Phoenix for 9 days, 6 of which I have been sick. Before landing in Phoenix on the 17th, I was in my own little world thinking that as soon as Jodi met me at the airport, all would be right in the world with my 2 youngest grandsons grinning from ear to ear that Nana had arrived. As soon as Noah (the 3 yr old) saw me at baggage he came running up yelling, “Nana”. Before I could sweep him up in my arms, Jodi tells me that the ride to the airport was longer than Noah could hold going to the bathroom, so I’d best just give him a hug and let him walk. Then on our way to the Yoga Van, she tells me that she didn’t want to alarm me but Caleb had strep throat and Noah had ear infections and well, she hoped that I had brought my vitamins. Quickly, I began to plan the next 5 days; I would be sure to not drink after the kids and to be sure that they didn’t drink from my Dr Pepper (as is always the first thing Noah and Caleb ask for when they see me drinking my morning soda). Instead of having donuts and ice cream and fast food while there, I would be sure and load up on Juice Plus shakes and lots of fresh veggies to keep up my defense. Bring on the Essential Oils and load me up with plenty of juice from Jodi’s new juicer.
Within 48 hours, Jodi and I both were so tired of wiping snotty noses and getting up and down to help Noah every time we heard, “come wipe me” that we got to the point that if we fell asleep facing away from the little darlings as they sneezed on the back of our heads, we felt that was good enough.
By the time my plane took off that Saturday afternoon, I felt that I had escaped all the sickness in the house. There I was headed back to Dallas and I hadn’t sneezed once, or used one Kleenex. I got sassy and just knew that maybe other grandmothers might be old and lacking in the ability to not catch everything that came around from their grandkids, but not me. I was young and vibrant and in very good health. After all, I ate chocolate ever day. I ate butter instead of margarine and yes, I even ate veggies every Sunday after church at Luby’s. It was going to take a lot more germs to get to me than 2 little kids running around with strep throat and ear infections and runny noses to get me down.
It’s been 5 days since I have left my house. My throat has never been so sore and the coughing allows me no more than 3-4 hours sleep a night. Jodi and I talk each day to try to see which one of us sounds worse. We sound just alike and cannot talk for over 5 minutes before both of us start coughing so bad that we hang up and run for cough drops. I told her that when the boys both get in high school, I will come back to visit. I should be healthy enough to come back by then and maybe the hole in my left foot will be healed by then from stepping on the legos that Caleb had dropped on his way to grab my Dr Pepper I left sitting out.
Poor Randy. Because I was gone for 6 days, I think he thought I would feel so guilty for being gone that he would be getting lots of homemade meals. Tonight he finally got one. My first home cooked meal. Is this one lucky guy or what? Nothing says Home Cookin like Kraft 
Category: Daily Thoughts
Be Still & Know
It is snowing today. Beautiful, peaceful and just the perfect weather to bake. As I was leafing through a basket with old recipes that I have collected through the years from different places and magazines, I came across a story that I had written back in 2002. Randy has been asking me to make cinnamon rolls and there is nothing easier that the recipe that I have used since the early 70’s for cinnamon rolls. Which I will post after I finish with the story.
As I have written about in previous posts, both Randy and I are in a new season of life…retirement. Not by his choosing, but circumstances out of his control. So we find ourselves home much more than we have ever been. When I think about Randy and how well he has adjusted to not working, it was so amazing to find this story that I had long ago forgot. It is just as applicable today as it was back in 2002. Here it is.
“Wow, what a seemingly hard, almost impossible, for so many, myself included to do..to sit and be still. The world we live in today is so fast paced, so busy, that we have a hard time just sitting and doing nothing. It seems that we have to have some noise around us at all times. We just do not know what to do with the quiet.
A couple of years ago a dear friend of mine told me that I was addicted to business. I laughed and said that I probably was, but just didn’t think too much about what she had just told me.
One day, while having a quiet time and praying to the Lord, I thought of what my friend had told me. In the deepest part of my soul, I felt that God was telling me that what Simone had told me was true. I had been so busy with things. I was in the habit of telling the Lord what I wanted to do and then wondered why He was not speaking to me or using me like I felt He should. It was then that I realized that as soon as I finished telling God what I thought my day should look like and what I needed from Him, I would hurry off and proceed with my day; never giving Him a chance to speak to me or showing me through His Word what He might have for me. Guessing that He would send me a message via billboard, text message or hear something through a radio message, I would quickly go about my busy day. Yes, He can speak to us anyway He chooses, but what if He was wanting to speak to us in the quiet? Would He have a chance to do that?
After years of running kids around, working, spending time with friends for lunch, hobbies, it has been hard to stay home, after being in the habit of staying gone all day.
But moving to California, took so many things away that for the first time in years, I had time on my hands. no more friends until I had the chance to make some. No church activities to keep me busy until we found a church and got involved.
I fought it, I griped about it and tried to tell the Lord that this was not going to work. I needed lots of things to do and I wanted Him to keep me busy…NOW! When He didn’t answer in the way I felt He should, I began to look at my life and realize that for so many years, I was asking Him to walk with me in the paths that I wanted to go, doing what I wanted and expecting Him to bless me. Now, I realized that when I didn’t give Him the chance to work in my life, or give Him a chance to speak to me, He “helped” me find the quiet times. Slowly and finally in surrender I began to see that when we give Him the opportunity to speak, He is more than willing. He did create us for His pleasure. He doesn’t need anything from us, but he desires things from us..a humble, quiet and surrendered heart. I began to pray each day that I will be willing to “be still and know” that He is God and then allow His truths and light to flow through me to others He places in my path.”
Even though that story was written back in 2002, I read it and realize how easy it is to once again fall into business of life.
With both of us home now, we have to try a little harder to spend some alone time with God each day.
We think that the older we get that we will have more time to spend with the Lord, but somehow, we seem to always find other things to do. My prayer for 2015 is that I will give Him more of my time and more of my heart. That each day I will “Be still and know that He is God.” And then trust Him for His timing, leading and guidance in my life. He is always faithful, I pray that He will be able to say that about me one day.
Chocolate Decadence
Since we have friends coming in from California next week, I have been looking through different recipes to see what I will be making while they are here. This one will be the one to welcome them in Saturday evening. Isn’t it always just the best to walk in and smell chocolate? They will feel at home instantly when they sit down and share their road trip experience while spooning up this most delicious chocolate dessert. The dessert is made ahead so all you need do is serve it as all of us will have our feet up, ready to hear their road trip stories. (if they are anything like ours, I’m sure there will be some blog stories that will be written.) This is almost flourless, using just 2 tables flour..
2 (8 oz) packages semisweet chocolate baking squares
2/3 cup butter
5 large eggs
2 tables sugar
2 tables flour
Raspberry Sauce
Whipping cream
Line bottom of a 9″ springform pan with parchment paper; set pan aside.
Cook chocolate and butter in a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat until chocolate is completely melted, stirring occasionally. Beat eggs at medium speed with mixer until blended, gradually add the chocolate mixture, beating 10 minutes. Fold in sugar and flour. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake at 400 for 15 minutes. Cake will not be set in center. Cool 30 minutes. Cover loosely and chill 8 hours. Spoon about 2 1/2 Tables Raspberry sauce on each dessert plate. Place wedge of chocolate dessert on sauce. Garnish with whipped cream and a fresh raspberry.
Raspberry Sauce
2 cups fresh raspberry sauce
2 cups water
1/4 cup sugar
2 tables cornstarch
2 tables water
Combine raspberries, 2 cups water and 1/4 cup sugar in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered about 30 minutes. Press raspberry mixture through a wire mesh strainer, using the back of a spoon to squeeze out juice. Discard pulp and seeds. Return raspberry mixture to saucepan; set aside.
Combine cornstarch and 2 tables water in a small measuring cup, stir until smooth. Stir into raspberry mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture comes to a boil. Cook 2 more minute; stirring. Remove from heat and cool completely.
Yoga Van
Just coming back from visiting our daughter and family in Phoenix, I am still trying to figure out why I gained weight over the last week. The entire week I was there, Jodi kept trying to inspire me with her new tales of what exercise class was doing for her and how, if I, would just go with her to class, I would feel better and have more energy, with less cravings. As I drank the awful shake she had made me try of flax seed, kale and cucumbers, I began to ponder that she might be right. she immediately tells me that I would probably need to crawl to the back of the van as we were headed to pick up her mother-in-law for lunch and she is not able to crawl to the back. (Has Jodi remembered that I am not still 35?)Mind you there are 2 baby seats with wires in the middle seats so it takes great agility to step up over wires to the DVD’s and with nothing to hold on to but the baby seats, all the while stepping over school backpacks, discarded McDonald, Chick Fila sacks and water bottles on the floor van.
When I thought about it, I informed little miss, “Yoga Guru” that I didn’t need to pay to exercise, I got all the muscle stretching that I could stand right there in the van. I also reminded her about the quick trips to the back of the van to grab Kleenex to wipe the little darling’s noses got me in a position that took me hours to get out of, made my case in point.
During the week in Phoenix, there were times that I would go in to potty (I know, TMI) only to discover that the toilet paper that was there just a few minutes earlier had been yanked and carried off by the 3 year old to take to his mom for wiping his nose. So there I would sit, trying to figure out if I should yell for help, drip dry, or use one of the used pull ups that was in the trash can (NO IT WAS NOT MY PULL UP).
The visits they are achanging. With them now having one teenager and 1 elementary child, plus a VERY strong willed 3 year old, our mother-daughter times were now complex. We use to be able to put them down for a nap while Eric stayed home with them and we would escape. Now, because there are no more naps, and because the school age kids go and get out at different times and the 3 year old only falls asleep while watching videos while she drives around in the van, our mother-daughter time is limited to van riding. We kidding about finding a drive thru salon for pedicures, and found ourselves riding around eating salads from our laps, so Noah wouldn’t wake up. It made me realize that I have to find something here in Dallas to keep me in shape so my body will stay in shape for the next visit of crawling back and forth in the van. As soon as Noah would wake up, he would cry for a certain toy which we would see had been thrown in the very back and guess who got the joy of crawling back over the seats to retrieve it..?
My idea for a mini-van commercial:
“No time for exercise? No extra money to join a gym? Buy our van, your body will thank you! Stretching and muscle building while you carpool. Great way for grannies to keep up muscle tones while visiting their grandkids. Plenty of door pockets to hold Depends for times when you sneeze as you are crawling over the seats to wipe those little precious noses”.
Mini-Van’s….buy them for your health.
A Senior Diet
Today Randy and I went grocery shopping. On the way to the store I had told him that we really needed to start eating more veggie meals and that we needed to try to eat a little more healthy so I can get into the pants this spring that I bought the last couple of years. I did NOT want to have to buy all new pants just to sit in our lazy boy chairs while watching the Food Network. He agreed and said he would help by adjusting his snack foods and told me to just buy veggies that would help us lower our cholesterol. We both figure that if we eat enough of these great green veggies, we can still have melted butter poured over them. Surely there are enough vitamins in the giant leafy greens to offset any (if any) bad fats in the butter. So we head over to the fresh veggie aisle. He tells me to go ahead and pick out some great healthy rich-in-vitamin foods, while he was going over to pick out a few healthy snacks for himself. We met at the check out counter where he handed me his “healthy” snacks. He got pretty defensive when I gave him the evil eye. He quickly alerted me to the fact that at least he got the $1 package of little donuts instead of the sack he usually gets…so what was the problem?
We checked out and headed to the car as we talked about our new way of eating. Because I knew that we would be cooking all of our new healthy foods when we got home, I thought it best to go ahead and eat the chocolate that Randy had picked out for me as a special treat. Like they say, why drag a bad thing out. So the chocolate is gone and the pot of turnip greens are on. Randy has the coffee brewing to drink along with the mini package of his favorite “little white donuts.”
Maybe next trip to the grocery store we will stay off the donut aisle and just head directly to the butter aisle; just to put on our healthy veggies, of course.
Listening
I have just returned from attending a Women’s Retreat at a local church where one of my favorite people, Debbie Stuart, led the sessions. Not only is she one of my favorite people, but probably my favorite speakers. She is real. She speaks Truth from God’s Word. The topic this weekend was on Listening. In todays world, we don’t have too many opportunities to truly experience quiet. We have sounds all around us. There is even a free app that we can download on our phones that gives us NOISE, as if we don’t have enough around us as it is. We find ourselves turning on either the radio or the TV the minute we wake up or as soon as we walk in the house. We don’t turn either of them off until we climb into bed. In fact, some of us listen to music as we sleep or have the TV on as background noise while we sleep. We complain that we don’t ever hear God speak to us. How could He and when He did, how could we expect to hear Him?
There are 143 Million people that spend at least 15 minutes a day on Face Book; 13 million spend 15 min have a quiet time with God. We wonder why our lives are hectic, confused and troubled. We spend more time in our closets picking out the outfits we are going to wear for the day than with God. Why is this? Is it because we feel that we don’t need Him? Is it because we feel that He doesn’t care about the everyday details or our lives? Or is it simply that we justify our actions by declaring that we just don’t have time.
She gave us some pointers to learn how to listen if we simply just take a few minutes and ask the Lord to pour out His wisdom to us.
Lean In Psa 119:32 “If you will help me, I will run to follow your commands”. We must invite Him into our lives.
Implement A System. Gather your Bible, writing journal & pen and have them together. Sit Still, Read & Write.
Show Up…meet God when you are at your best, whether it be in the morning or in the evening. Give HIm the best of your day.
Teachable Spirit-Do you come to Him with a harden heart or with a humbled heart?
Eliminate Distractions Hosea 4:6 “my people are being destroyed because they do not know me.” We wonder why our lives are a mess and we think God has deserted us. He has promised never to leave us or forsake us. We are the ones who have pushed Him away.
Nnow It..He talks to those who talk to Him. Which voice do we listen to? Who are we trying to please; the world or God?
We wonder where to begin? There is no wrong place to begin. Open your Bible. Your Father would like a Word with you!
“See to it that you do not refuse Him who speaks.” Hebrews 12:25
Could your life use some guidance? Are we willing to turn aside and LISTEN?
“We need to realize that unless we leave some time for God, we can’t live the lives that He created us to live…the lives that bring Him glory and become lights that shine in the darkness.” (Debbie Stuart)
“We have two choices:
1. We can whine and forfeit my usefulness or
2. We can pray and worship and fulfill our destiny.
The only thing worse than waiting on God is wishing you had. In order to know God’s will for our lives, we need to learn to listen and obey. Don’t get ahead of Him.
Though you cannot go back and make a brand new start my friend, you can start right now and make a brand new end.
What are you doing with your time that keeps you from listening?
Talking, searching the web, reading, shopping, gardening, baking, crafting, regretting, blaming, wishing?
Given Him 10 minutes today,
But my life is worth nothing unless I use it for doing the work assigned me by the Lord. Acts 20: 24.
*(These points and quotations are taken from our worksheet this weekend from Debbie Stuart, Hope For the Heart)
Scratch Super Bowl Recipes!
I have found my new favorite lunch place. Went for the first time today to Bread Zeppelin on Park in Plano and I have to say that I am ready to just throw away all the recipes that I wanted to make for Super Bowl Sunday (which now will be written SBS, which could also be used for Southern Belle Society, but this week I think we all know what it stands for) and just go buy their wonderful sandwiches. My friend and I go to lunch every Wednesday after our art class and today she told me that she wanted us to go to a new place that she and her hubby have fallen in love with. (That is probably a bit too much, but us Southerners do love our foods, don’t we?). Anyhow, as we stood in line to order, I noticed that they were carving out the middle of each loaf of bread and stuffing something in them. OMGosh, that space is made to stuff the salad of your choice. The bread was just amazing. It is crusty on the outside and so soft on the inside. I can’t wait to go back to try more of the salads. I came home and told Randy that this is going to be our new “go to” place when we aren’t craving greasy hamburgers or Mexican food, or pizza, or the nights when we have Hot Fudge Sundaes or Banana Splits for our dinner. But…the other nights that we eat out, you will probably find us at Bread Zeppelin.
Before I close, I just want to tell you something that happened to me yesterday that will make all of you feel very smart.(and young) Having noticed that I am tending to do a “few” things that might cause anyone under the age of 50 to say that “the ole girl just needs to be put away before somebody gets hurt.”… made me realize that I should go and be sure my cabinets are in alphabetical order and I have each piece of furniture tagged as to who gets what in a few years, before I totally loose it. Jodi, our daughter who lives in Phoenix calls each morning to catch up on the exciting events that might happen in our lives each day. I have told her that when I start to tell her how many dr visits we have scheduled that day or what kind of bowel movements we have had, to just shoot me. But I’m sure we are YEARS away from that. Each day she calls and we talk about grandkids and her exercise class and she tells me that if I would start eating a little more healthy and work out, that maybe, just maybe, I might have a few good years ahead of me before I am sitting in a wheel chair with my hair colored blue (which would at least match my car right now, and no, it is not a Buick, yet) and the highlight of my day would be go to the dining room at the nursing home an hour early to wait for my mashed peas. So we are talking and after a little while, she ask me what I am doing, as I sound out of breath. I told her to just keep talking with I continued to look for my phone, that I was pulling the cushions out of the chair and on my hands and knees looking under the chair in case it had fallen through to the floor. She begins to laugh and I tell her it’s not funny, I have GOT to find my phone, my whole life revolves around my phone. How would I know which dr visits I had this week without my phone? Through her laughter she proceeds to tell me that I might want to add another dr appt to my calendar. Why? What does she think is wrong with me that I need to go to another dr? She then tells me to just stop and think about what I am talking to her with? Can I just tell you that we laughed until our sides hurt. But I got off the “lost” phone and reassured myself that it had just been a crazy week and I’m sure that if I double up on my Gingko, I would be fine, if I could just remember where I last put it. I had better get Randy to Bread Zeppelin before I forget where it is!
Artichoke-Parmesan Strudel
Since I made a new tab of Super Bowl Recipes, I have been thinking all day about all the foods that would make up my perfect Super Bowl Party. This is what I would have.
Boiled Shrimp (which I know you don’t need a recipe for)
Hamburgers (grilled)
Stuffed Mushrooms
Garlic Cheese Ball
Fried Pies
Sugar Cookies made in the shape of footballs
Cream Cheese Brownies
And this Strudel which will begin the collection of recipes that will be posted this week.
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup butter,
3 (6 oz) jars marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup cottage cheese
1 1/4 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup cracker crumbs
1 teas garlic salt
1 teas dried whole margoram
1 teas minced fresh parsley
3/4 teas dried whole tarragon
15 (18 1/2 x 12″) sheets frozen phyllo pastry, thawed and divided
1 cup butter,melted
Saute onion and garlic in 1/4 cup butter in a skillet until tender. Add artichoke hearts and next 9 ingredients; cook over medium heat 5 min or until cheeses melt, stirring often. Set Aside.
Place 1 phyllo sheet on a flat surface (keep remaining phyllo covered with a damp towel); brush with melted butter. Layer 4 phyllo sheets on first sheet, brushing each sheet with melted butter.
Spread 1/3 artichoke mixture crosswise, 1 inch from narrow end of phyllo. Starting at narrow end, carefull roll up jellyroll fashion. Tuck ends under. Carefully place on a lightly greased baking sheet; repeat procedure with remaining phyllo and artichoke mixture. Brush rolls with remaining melted butter. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Cut into 1 inch slices and serve warm.
Yield: 30 servings.
Cannelloni-Style Lasagna
The sun has been shining for a few days and it was such a nice change from the gloominess that we have been experiencing. But, tonight the drops are coming back and that means just one thing…I am in the kitchen baking and eating. Why is it, that the cold, rainy weather makes me want to just bake? I guess that if I lived where it was sunny all the time, I wouldn’t be fat, it is not my fault, it is the weather. When it is sunny, salads sound so good, but cold weather makes me want cobblers, pot roast, chocolate chip cookies and hot bread with butter. If spring doesn’t get here pretty soon, I will be up a dress size. So, back to the recipe, this lasagna sounds just perfect for serving when it is raining. It is out of Taste of Home and combines two kinds of sauce.
Cannelloni Style Lasagna
1 tables olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/3 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 cup finely chopped carrot
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 lb ground beef (or turkey)
3/4 lb ground pork
1/3 cup white wine or beef stock
2/3 cup beef stock (it will be 1 cup total if you use the stock instead of the wine)
1 bay leaf
3/4 teas Italian seasoning
1/2 teas coarsely ground pepper
1/4 teas salt
2 jars (15 oz ea) Alfredo sauce, divided
2 egg yolks
1 jar (24 oz) marinara sauce
1 pack (9 oz) no cook-lasagna noodles
In a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery and carrot; cook and stir 4-6 min or until tender. Add minced garlic; cook 1 min.
Add the beef (or turkey) and pork; cook until meat is no longer pink, breaking into crumbles; drain. Stir in white wine. Bring to a boil; cook until liquid is almost evaporated, about 1 min.
Stir in stock and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered about 15 min to allow flavors to blend. Cool slightly. Remove bay leaf; stir in 1 cup Alfredo sauce and the egg yolks.
Preheat oven to 350. To assemble, spread 3/4 cup marinara sauce into a greased 9×13″ baking dish. Layer with flour noodles, 3/4 cup Alfredo sauce and 2 cups meat mixture. Top with four more noodles and 3/4 cup marinara sauce. Layer with flour noodles, 3/4 cup Alfredo sauce and remaining meat mixture. Top with remaining noodles and marinara sauce. Drizzle remaining Alfredo sauce over top.
Bake, covered, 30-40 minutes. Uncover and bake 20-25 more minutes or until bubbly. Let stand 15 min before serving.
Bacon It Right
Yesterday on Face Book, (and of course if it is on FB you know it is true!) I watched a video of the correct way to fry bacon. Since our grandson, Sevy is addicted to bacon and always check to see if we have it on hand before he says he will come over, I want to find the perfect way to cook his favorite food. Who knows, as he grows into his teen years in just a couple of years, the smell of bacon might just keep him coming over to see his Nana and Pops. Well, that and the fact that he knows that there is never a short supply of chocolate in the house. But when we watched the video of how to make the perfect bacon, we paid attention. I don’t remember who the chef making the video was, but he said that when you put the bacon in the skillet, add enough water to almost cover the bacon. Then, over medium heat, fry the bacon until all the water is absorbed. Then when the water is gone, just turn the bacon until it is browned on both sides. So that is how we fried our bacon today for BLT sandwiches. I have to say that the bacon was not dry and tough one bit. It was actually very flavorful and it also has another upside. Grease didn’t splatter all over the store as it fried. Great discovery. Sevy, it’s safe to come over, we went to Costco yesterday and have a fridge full of bacon. And plenty of chocolate…and yes, you can play games on your phone and not talk to us and we will give you money to go to Dave & Buster’s. (OK, I admit, we are beginning to have to bribe him to come see us. He is discovering a world of friends where they might be just a touch more fun that watching Sponge Bob with Nana and Pops).
Chocolate Castles 