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Daily Thoughts · Uncategorized

Not That God

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The other evening a sweet friend, Janet, gave me a book which was written by her son– in- law, Ryan Smith. The name of the book was Not That God. This morning I again woke up around 4 am and could not go back to sleep so found myself coming downstairs once again to drink hot tea and read. I began to read Not That God. It made me realize that my perception of God is quite often a result of how I as it should be. In my desire to love God and trust Him I seem to fall into the thinking that if I am good enough, pray more and spend time in His Word, I will have a blessed life. (talk about “earning” your salvation) I was raised to fear God with a Holy type of fear. Not to be afraid of Him but to have a Holy respect which would make me realize that He is the Holy One! That He should be honored above all else and to obey His Word in complete trust. As I have grown in years and hopefully in my faith, it seems that I am doing just what I read. That my expectations of who I think God should be is a little off. At times, I think we all feel that if we walk according to His will and simply obey what we know we are suppose to be doing, that it will “get us something”! We begin to treat God like a genie. We obey, He grants our wishes! But as I continued to read, I realized that God is much more interested in our character than our comforts. He allows things to fall on us in order that our love, dependency, and faith in Him will grow. Those valleys that He brings us through are allowed so that we will grow our faith and begin to see that these times of sorrow, sickness or stress can be times of opportunity for us to reach out more to our Heavenly Father. We have a way of keeping God in our own little box of what we feel He should be and expect Him to do. We make our decisions and then expect Him to bless them. We pray and give Him our desires and our requests and then expect Him to answer in the way that we feel is best. So when He doesn’t answer in the way we feel He should, we become angry and wonder ‘where God is”? Not That God is a book that challenges us to rethink what we have always felt about God.

In this Christmas season, it is a great time to begin a new approach to how I really feel about God and His great love for all of us! We always hear that “He is the reason for the season” but as we heard in church last week, “we are the reason for the season” Jesus came to earth as a baby to save us from our sin. God was the first gift giver. We have Christmas because He came as a baby that we might have life eternal. He gave His Son willingly for us. He did it out of a great love for us. After His giving of His most precious Son, how can we not love Him enough to trust Him for the circumstances, the trials or valleys, which He allows to come into our lives? This season, may my heart be open to accepting that “His ways are not my ways, nor His thoughts, my thoughts”. That I will always remember that God is love, but maybe I need to learn to redefine ‘love” in order to understand a little more of what God is trying to do in my life.

*Not That God, written by Ryan Smith

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Friday Night Chicken Party

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As we are living in Texas with plenty of storage to “house” our Christmas décor now, a sweet friend mentioned to me over the weekend that I should repost this story. It did make me so thankful for Texas size closets and always a supply of breaded okra in the frozen food aisle.

Chocolate Castles's avatarChocolate Castles

This is an exciting night….4 couples are coming over to experience a true southern fried chicken dinner, complete with homemade rolls, mashed potatoes, gravy and creamed corn. Their entrance fee is that each couple will have to sing a Christmas carol to get in the front door. Frosty and Noel are ready for this big night. We have our reindeer antlers ready to put on our heads, the bread is rising in the utility closet and the Christmas clock has brand new batteries to proudly play a carol on each hour. The phone is set to play, “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” every time it rings; merriment will be felt everywhere. Christmas lights are lit, candles will be burning, it will be a fabulous night.
The greatest thing just happened. Frosty had told me to get out the electric skillet for him to fry the chicken. With 10 people…

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Desserts · Holiday Fare · Uncategorized

Raspberry Almond Bars

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3/4 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cup seedless raspberry jam

3 egg whites

6 tables sugar

1/2 cup flaked coconut

1 cup sliced almonds, divided

Additional powdered sugar

In a large bowl, cream the butter and 3/4 cup powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually add flour and mix well. Press onto the bottom of a greased 13×9″ baking pan. Bake in preheated 350 oven for about 16-18 min. or until lightly browned.

Spread jam over crust. In a large bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar 1 table at  time, on high until stiff peaks form. Fold in coconut and 1/2 cup almonds. Spread over jam. Sprinkle with remaining almonds and bake at 350 for about 18 to 20 minutes or until top is golden brown. Cool and cut into bars.

Daily Thoughts · Uncategorized

Dashing Through the Snow

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OK, maybe I wasn’t dashing through the snow, maybe it was more like “dashing around the parking lot trying to find where my husband was waiting for me to come out of Walmart”! But it really was “dashing” at least.

We had been out running errands when I realized that we were in a different area than where we tend to stop for some of  our Christmas goodies at our (that’s right, “our” Walmart), when I told Frosty to just pull in to this new Walmart and drop me off at the door to see if they have any of the Christmas spatulas that I have been buying up at all the Walmarts around us. He let me off at the door, as the wind was gusting up to 40 mph and told me that as soon as he saw me walk out, he would pull up to the door and I could jump in. He is just so sweet and thoughtful.

FIrst of all, I have to tell you that these spatulas are just so cute and sell for $1.96. I have bought some from high end kitchen stores for about $12/ea and these are just as cute. I collect spatulas and so am always on the lookout for cute ones. They are my signature little gift for hostess gifts and I attach them with Christmas ribbon to packages or Easter or Valentine…you get the picture, right? So when I had bought all that Walmart had in our area, I went looking on Walmart’s web site and thought I would just go ahead and order some to be delivered but to my wondering eye should appear but “3 spatulas for $18.00?” you have got to be kidding me!!! Do the Walmart people realize that they sell them in their own stores for $1.96? And that is why I decided to just hop out of the car, risk ruining my hair being blown to younder and head in to this new unchartered Walmart. Now back to the story.

I wondered over to the baking aisle and there as big and bright as Rudolfs Red nose, were more Christmas spatulas. So I bought all my arms could carry and started out the door. I did notice that there were carts blowing around the parking lot due to the hurricane force winds. (maybe I am exaggerating just a bit, but I knew that maybe I should have used just a bit more hairspray that morning as mine was only stiff enough to hold in winds up to 20 mph). So before I walk out the automatic glass doors I look down a couple of aisles looking to see if I see Frosty, waiting for me when low and behold, I see him straight ahead down the aisle all the way at the end, about 20 cars down. Clear shot. Knowing that as soon as he sees me, he will hurry to pick me up seeing that I have my hands full and whisk me away to Starbucks to celebrate my new addition to my Christmas Spatula collection. Well, I stood there for just a minute and thought, maybe he is on the phone and just hasn’t seen me walk out the door. So I begin to wave furiously at him, waving both white Walmart bags over my head to get his attention. Nothing…so I begin to walk down the aisle, all the while continuing to GLARE and wave as I continue walking out to meet my darling husband, who in my mind is not so darling right at that moment. When I am about 3 cars away from finally getting to our car, he puts the car in drive and begins to creep toward me. By now, my hair is totally gone, my arms are sore from trying to wave him down and my attitude is not very jolly. When I am seated inside the car I look over to him and give him a “what in the world were you doing that you didn’t see me walking toward you with my purchases” look, he smiled at me and said, “it was you, I didn’t recognize you since  your hair looked different and you had on a jogging suit. I’m not use to you wearing a jogging suit or seeing your hair like that!”

WHAT? I have been in the car with you all morning and you just realized that  I had on the new jogging suit that I bought 3 days ago? All I could say was I was glad I did have on my new jogging suit as at least I was prepared for the “jog” out to the car. And the different hair style? It wasn’t different before I had to walk the 3 miles from the Walmart door to the car? But in hurricane force winds, the hair is always the first to go. We rode in silence to Starbucks! Maybe paying the $18 for 3 might have been worth the money. I would have got my Christmas spatulas, not had to come home and re roll my hair and would not have had to pay for marriage counseling that week. Christmas….it’s the most wonderful time of the year, as long as you keep your marriage counselor on speed dial!

Cookies · Desserts · Uncategorized

Simple Ginger Cookies

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I have to admit that I bought some Little Debbie Gingerbread men cookies the other day when we were in Phoenix out shopping with some of the grandkids. I have NEVER bought any Little Debbie anything for myself but didn’t have anything at my daughter’s house to make anything. (It is still such a shock to me that other people don’t always just keep items like molasses just in case you might want to make cookies, in the pantry. Or ginger, or cloves, well, you get the picture. I was craving gingerbread cookies, so thus, the Little Debbie. Shocked, they weren’t bad at all, in fact between Frosty and I we ate the entire box of 6 or 8 (but who is counting) in two days. Anyhow, we are home now and found this very simple recipe for ginger cookies. Just made them and they are awesome. Very quick and very easy.

Courtesy of Paula Deen (which tells you that they must be good)

3/4 cup Crisco shortening

1 cup sugar plus more for rolling cookies in

1 large egg, room temp

1/4 cup molasses

2 cups flour

2 teas baking soda

1 teas ground cinnamon

1 teas ground ginger (I used 2 teas)

1/2 teas ground cloves

1/2 teas salt

Preheat oven to 350.

Using electric mixer at low spee, cream the shortening and sugar until well mixed. Add egg and molasses and beat until completely combined. Sift together the flour, baking soda, spices and salt in a seperate bowl. Stir and the add to creamed mixture. Roll dough into 1″ balls and roll in sugar. Place each ball on baking sheet about 1″ apart. If you use a coated cookie pan you will not need to grease the pan. If not, use parchment paper. Flatten the balls slighty with fingertips. Bake about 11 to 12 min. Cool on paper towels.

 

Cakes · Desserts · Fruit · Holiday Fare · Uncategorized

Raspberry Coconut Cake

Chocolate Castles2 Comments

What a gorgeous cake to complete your dessert buffet this Christmas Season.  Red and White in color and coconut and raspberry in flavor.

1 box Duncan Hines French Vanilla or White Cake mix

3 cups flaked coconut, divided

6 ssquares (1 oz ea) white baking chocolate

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

3/4 cup seedless raspberry jam

1 cup (2 sticks ) butter, unsalted and softened

1 cup powdered sugar

Prepare cake batter according to package directions; fold in 2/3 cup coconut. Pour into two greased 9″ round baking pans. Bake at 350 for about 25 to 29 min or until cake tests done. Cool for 10 min before removing from an to wire racks to cool.

In a microwave safe bowl, combine white chocolate and cream. Microwave uncoveed on high for 1 min or until chocolate is almost melted. stir until smooth. Cool to room temp. In a small bowl, combine jam and 1 cup coconut. Spread over one cake layer; top with second layer.

In small mixing bowl, cream butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in melted white chocolate mixture. When frosting is completely smooth, spread over cooled cake sides and top. Toast remaining coconut and sprinkle over top of cake.

 

Cookies · Desserts · Pies · Uncategorized

Pecan Pie Cookies

Chocolate Castles1 Comment

Perfect for the cookie exchanges which we all love to attend.

*Am using a mini cupcake pan for these

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup powdered sugar

3 tables light corn syrup

3/4 cup finely chopped pecans

2 cups flour

1 teas baking powder

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

3/4  cup butter, softened

1 egg

1 teas vanilla

Melt 1/4 cup of butter in saucepan, and stir in powdered sugar and corn syrup until sugar isi dissolved.

Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often and stir in the peans utill well combined. Refrigerate the mixture for 30 min to chill.

Preheat oven to 350. Sift flour and baking powder togetehr in a bowl and set aside.

Beat brown sugar, 3/4 cup butter, egg and vanilla in large bowl with mixer. until creamy, about 2 min.

Gradually beat in the flour mixture until well mixed. Pinch off about 1 tables of dough and roll it into a ball. Press the dough into the bottom of an ungreased cupcake pan cup and use your thumb (or Thumbie if youhave one) to cuper the bottom and up the sides about 1/4 inch. Repeat with the rest of the dough. Fill each little crust with about 1 teas of the prepared pecan filling.

Bake in preheated oven untilthe cookie shells are lightly browned about 10 to 13 minutes. Let the cookie cool in the cupcake pan for 5 min and then remove to wire rack to finish cooling.

 

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Gift Giving

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If you are looking for a gift that would encourage loved ones with laughter, words of hope and Truth,then Princess on the Porch is the perfect gift. It is filled with stories for the different seasons of your life which would lift the spirits of maybe young moms who cannot see that the terrible twos will pass or maybe a daughter or mom who needs to see that in each season of life, there are circumstances which will give us laughter, no matter what the age.

Princess on the Porch can be ordered from Amazon in paperback or hardcover, and ebook!  Can also be ordered through Barnes & Noble. imageMakes a great gift. The recipes are family favorites collected through the years of my life.

Merry Christmas to you.  This book will bring a smile not only to your face, but to your heart!

 

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Coming Home To Christmas

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After 20 days we arrived home late last night. We had been driving from Phoenix for the last 2 days. Frosty has been sick with a horrible cough which sounds like he smokes a carton a day. So driving and listening to him make noises which I have never heard before had me repeating at least once every 30 minutes, “for better or for worse, in sickness and in health” all the while having to dodge the filled kleenix which were laying around the floorboard of our car, in the ash tray and side pockets of the car door. Isn’t marriage grand? It’s times like this when it is so hard to remember the marriage vows which at the time seemed so easy to repeat. Of course, I will love this man forever all dressed up in his gorgeous wedding suit all the while gazing down on my size 8 figure. WHERE ARE THOSE DAYS? Ok, Ok, guess I’ve changed a little also, maybe gained a pound or 30! Ain’t love grand!!! Seriously, I wouldn’t change this coughing sickly little hubby of mine for the world. He still looks so great in a suit and the most fun Frosty, helping me decorate and acts crazy like me. It is a marriage made at the North Pole…I mean Heaven!

After 11 hours yesterday in the car and sitting at a dead stop on Interstate 20 while they cleared 4 different pile ups, 4 different times, we were so thankful to the Lord for the safe journey which He granted to us. Dead tired with numb rear ends, we walked into the house and saw little notes all over our house. I immediately began to walk around and pull them off wherever they were stuck and began to read them.

While we were gone these last 20 days we invited 6 ladies to use our house for their annual Dallas Shopping trip. In my quest to inform them where different things were in the house, such as the under the counter lights or extra blankets, I guess I got carried away and began, as a joke, to put stickers on the microwave, the oven, fridge, pantry, etc…you get the idea. So when we walked in last night, to our delight, we found little notes placed in the best places. Still found some this morning. When I opened the cabinet this morning to get a coffee mug, there was a note attached to a coffee cup which read, “lots of hot drinks were drank from these coffee mugs,” Another note was attached to my Christmas blankets which read, “sure enjoyed snuggling up after shopping in these blankets”. Notes were on the fireplace, the bowl of candy, the beds and pillows. What fun to read all the little thoughts. Thank you Cindy, Cathy, Deanne, Donna, Susan and Carrie, you brought a lot of joy and Christmas cheer to us by your thoughtfulness and ideas!

Then going upstairs to carry all our bags and clothes, we stumbled into the bathroom to find cute little gel stickers which the girls had put on our shower door. Made my day. It made me think how much more fun was finding all these little notes which brought so many smiles to my heart instead of just the typical thank you note. So next time we are staying with friends or family that is exactly what I’m going to do.

The first thing that I gave thanks for after thanking the Lord for the safe uneventful trip was that I had decorated the house before leaving for California. It was worth listening to people making fun of how early we decorated when we came home last night to a completely decorated house and getting to wake up this morning to Christmas trees and nativity sets already up and allowing me to just enjoy the sights and sounds of Christmas while unpacking and doing laundry.

Tomorrow is December 1st. Joy to the World, the Lord Has Come, Let Earth Receive Her King!! It truly is the most wonderful time of the year. May our lights shine brightly as we are out among friends, family and folks which need to be pointed to the Savior who is the Light of the World!

Meats · Pies · Uncategorized

Italian Pot Pies

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We are leaving tomorrow for Phoenix to spend Thanksgiving with our kids before heading back to Texas. It has been a glorious 2 weeks with friends who have become like family to both Randy and I. Since today is our last day here we decided to go back to 2 of our favorite restaurants before leaving. We went to Saharas for lunch and now tonight will be going to Panda Inn…best Labenese and Chinese food in our opinion.

Since we have been staying at the Smiths home these last 4 nights, I have had a ball going through many of her recipe books and magzines that Dee keeps out on the table. These Italian Pot Pies sounded just like something that would be so easy and quick for a family dinner. Just add a salad and an Italian Creme Cake and you have yourselves a winner.

1 tables olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 carrolts, finely chopped

coarse salt and ground pepper to taste

1 lb ground beef sirloin

1 teas garlic powder or garlic cloves, minced (if desired, I desired)

2 cups homemade or best-quality store bought tomato sauce

(such  as Prego or Ragu)

1 cup flour, spooned and leveled

34 cup grated Parmesan

1 12 teas baking powder

1/4 teas baking powder

4 tables butter, melted

1/2 cup whole milk

Extra butter to brush on top of biscuits when done.

Preheat oven to 450. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium. Add onion and carrots; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add beef and cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon until no longer pink. Add tomato sauce, bring to a boil. (I added some garlice cloves, minced to sauce simply because I love garlic).

Reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring every once in a while until meat mixture has thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk flour, parmesan, baking powder, rosemary and 1/2 teas salt. Make a well in center and add butter and milk. Stir just until dough comes together.

Spoon meat mixture into 4 8 oz ramekins; divide biscuit dough between the ramekins placing dough on top of meat mixture.

Place ramekins on a large rimmed baking sheet; bake until toppiing is golden brown and is done. About 10 to 12 minutes. Brush butter on top of biscuits as soon as they come out of oven.