It is so wonderful to be unpacked and feeling like we are ready and able to resume somewhat of a routine again after living among boxes for a couple of months (actually from April- July 12th when movers came), then living in a hotel for 2 weeks before we were able to move into our new place! We are grateful to be living in a place which we feel God lead us and provided for us!

Our usual tradition when moving into a new house was to make our first meal (when pots and pans were unpacked), chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, green beans and cherry pie! BUT….because I couldn’t find my Geritol, which is still packed away in a few of the boxes that are still sealed and packed, this time was a little different! On the day that I had told Randy “ok, tonight I’m going to cook our first meal in our new place since I have most of the kitchen things unpacked enough to have everything I need to cook”, we’ll…let’s just say that by 6:00 pm, all I could think about was, “shoot, I told him I’d cook tonight, but there is no way I can make chicken fried steak, I just can’t do that, I guess I’m not as young as I was 4 yrs ago when I actually did cook our traditional meal a few days after moving in”!

So our new “tradition” of our first meal became a few slices of garlic French bread I had bought a few days before and stuck in the freezer, because when I bought it, I had every intention of making homemade spaghetti and meatballs with salad and garlic bread for a nice dinner the night after having our normal traditional first meal of chicken fried steak! My goodness, my grandiose intentions were what they were when I was 50 (several moves ago), not 74!!!

So thank goodness I had A tomato and some mozzarella cheese in the fridge! Cutting about 6-7 thin slices of the bread, I found the olive oil, used the back of a spoon since I had not found the pastry brush yet, and quickly oiled the bread, placed a slice of tomato on each slice, sprinkled some Italian seasoning, cut a slice of the fresh mozzarella to place on top of the tomato and bam….placed it in the oven until the cheese melted! Ladies and gentlemen, because we were both so tired of putting away and making piles of “treasures” from 110 boxes to be given away, this was one of the best impromptu meals we have had in a long time! We were exhausted, hungry and thankful we didn’t have to go out in the 99 degrees to buy dinner! And by now you are wondering why is the title to this extremely long narrative of her first meal titled Gaanache, when all she has talked about is garlic toast a 3 yr old could make and being tired? Well it is titled Ganache because ever since July 11th, (which was my birthday and I wanted, (but because movers came the next day so I didn’t have time to make) my favorite cake which is a white almond flavored cake with white frosting covered with chocolate ganache! There…see I have finally brought you to the ending of why And what I’m suppose to be writing! And maybe when you make this most marvelous cake you, as you take your first bite, you can also think about this….

Women’s minds are like a bowl of spaghetti, “one thought takes them to a dozen different thoughts.”

And that is why it took me approximately 1000 words to give you the simple recipe for the ganache that covers the top of this delectably cake!

Make a Duncan Hines Vanilla cake mix according to directions but add 1 teaspoons of almond extract to the batter before baking, using two 9” cake pans. When cool, frost with white frosting using Almond extract instead of vanilla! Pour ganache over the top layer after frosting with the vanilla frosting.

Ganache

1 cup heavy whipping cream

12 oz semisweet chocolate chips

1 1/2 teas vanilla extract

Heat cream in a heavy small saucepan until bubbles form around the edge but not boiling. Remove from heat and add the chocolate chips! Stir until chips are melted and add extract! Cool for about 30 minutes but not until it is too thick to pour over top of cake. And there you have it… the end of the story!

Yesterday it was just so great to be back in our Church class after being out for a month. Because we both were so blessed to catch COVID again and then move all in the same month, it felt like a year since we had been to church. So this morning it was wonderful to not only see dear friends, but to hear (in person) the Word of God taught! Because Randy is not able to go every week, the times we are there have become so precious to us! It is hard to imagine our lives without being able to go worship corporately with others or to sing with hundreds of people lifting their hearts and voices in praise! That is a privilege and blessing we never take for granted!

This morning not only was I surrounded by sweet people who welcomed me back with open arms and told me how glad they were to see me, but we had one of our ministers to teach our class! Having never heard him before, it was such a lesson that I sure needed to hear! The lesson was from Genesis 12 when God told Abram (before his name was changed to Abraham) to go! “Leave your family and friends and go to a place I will show you”. And Abram, not even knowing where God was sending him, obeyed! How old was Abram when God told him to go….75 yrs old! One yr older than I am now.

Moses was 80 when God called him over to the burning bush and spoke to him and Noah was 500 when he began to build the ark! If we find ourselves doubting God using us after He has led us through so many seasons of life, been faithful to us when difficult times fall on us and allowed us to see His Provision to us through the years, why would God not want us to use the wisdom and experiences that we have been given? We have testimonies we can share of Gods walking with us through tough times. We can tell of times when we didn’t think we had enough to make the mortgage or buy food for the week, yet God came through miraculously.

So many times we feel that when we get to this age of life, God is through with us! That we have earned the right to sit back, relax and coast through the years we have left!

Abram was the son of Terran, who had set out to live in Canaan but ended up settling in Harran, where he died! The Bible doesn’t say why they didn’t go all the way to Canaan but he “settled” in more ways than one. Which takes us to Abram. Because he obeyed and trusted the Lord God, by leaving everything that was familiar to him, the Lord blessed him. When we are obedient, we find ourselves sometimes in places that we would have never have gone. But it is in those times of uncertainty that grows our faith and trust as we look back and see how God always provided and protected us.

Genesis 12:1 “The Lord had said to Abram, “go from your country, your people, and your fathers’ household to the land I will show you…… verse 4 “so Abram went, as the Lord had told him.”

Pause there and think about that! What kind of faith did it take for Abram to just pick up and leave, not knowing where God was taking him. A faith that was not just obtained in that moment. Just like us, God uses so many times in each of our lives that allow us to choose what to do…do we trust God and allow Him to guide us where He leads, or do we do what we feel is best or easiest? At the end of the lesson Alan ask these questions to us:

1. What area of my life has God taken me further than my parents?
2. How is my service to God helping the next generation go further than I?

When we limit God in our expectations of Him, we limit ourselves!

Don’t be afraid to “step out of the boat” like Peter. Don’t allow the world to influence you if God has ask what you feel is impossible of you to do. Step aside to pause and listen like Moses did at the burning bush! Be willing to go even when you have no idea where God is leading you! Each of these men were blessed beyond their wildest expectations. Are we willing to be amazed at what God can do with us, no matter our age?

• Isaiah 43:19-21: “Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert” 
• Exodus 13:18: “Therefore God led the people around by way of the wilderness” 
• Hosea 15:5: “It was in the wilderness that I knew you”

We use to sing a little song that said, “he my Lord knows the way through the wilderness, all I have to do is follow”

And all of us, at one time or another, we have found ourselves “in the wilderness”. Yes we stand and sing, “for all my life You have been faithful, for all my life You have been so so good, with every breath that I am able, I will sing of the goodness of God.” And aren’t we grateful for His goodness and His faithfulness? And yet, each of us have experienced times where we didn’t feel grateful or blessed nor did we feel that God was hearing our prayers and was allowing us to be in the wilderness, where we wandered and wondered, “where is He? Where is His goodness and why does it feel like has He deserted me?” As Christians we have Gods promise that he is always with us we hear that God never leaves us or forsakes us. And yet some days it feels like He has. These are the days when we have to trust His Heart when we don’t see his Hand of goodness or guidance. Yet His Word promises just that. And we know in our hearts that it is true! His Word promises that . Yet days of doubt sometimes leads us to dwell in self-pity or wallow in the “ wilderness!” Sometimes we are led to the wilderness in order that we are being taught something the Lord wants is to learn.

When our lives take a completely different turn other than the one we had planned (and doesn’t it always do that?)or even just anticipate how our life would be, we find ourselves in circumstances beyond our control and situations that we would never have chosen. This morning as I read Psalm 119, David was determined to follow Gods laws and commands! He knew that no matter what he went thru, God loved him and was always working for his good! As I thought about that it reminded me of Gods faithfulness all during my almost 74 years even when I was not faithful to follow Gods laws and commands! Yet He loved me. And never gave up on me!

Recently I read about the parents that died in Florida a few days ago as they got caught up in a rip tide! The 2 older daughters made it back to shore but try as they may, the parents did not! When I thought back about a very similar experience when we were in Hawaii, I want to tell how God showed up and rescued me!

I had left Randy in a chair under an umbrella up on the shore, and decided to go out snorkeling. That is one of my favorite things to do. So I grabbed my mask and off I went. we were close to a huge black rock where I knew people went to snorkel so I dove in. I was able to get past the waves rolling into shore and put my mask on and proceeded to enjoy the sea life I knew was there! After awhile I knew I needed to get back so I began to swim towards shore. But that didn’t happen. As hard as I could, I just went further out! I tried floating for a while to save my energy so I could try again but still could not make it in. I was to far out to call for help. So I prayed. I ask the Lord to please help me get back to shore. I looked up and there were 2 men beside me who took my arms and helped me get back as they scolded me and said “never come out here by yourself!” As I waded up to shore I turned and they were gone! Were they angels? You cannot convince me otherwise. When I thought back over the years, there were so many incidents which tell of Gods wonderous acts. Sometimes He uses these special moments when we are in a wilderness to assure us of His presence, and sometimes just because we need Him to show up. But always God is with us! Never doubt that.

When you find yourself in a wilderness remember the little song, “ my Lord knows the way through the wilderness all I have to do is follow”. And allow Him to guide you safely through!

Maybe years ago I made one of these cakes but if so I don’t remember! Had a request from a young lady for this cake for her birthday, I began to look through different recipes and decided on this one. Since the cake needs to feed about 15 people, I choose this recipe. I finished the cake about 30 min ago but I’ve been busy scraping out the left over frosting and indulging in spoonfuls of some amazing frosting! I made up my own frosting since the young lady wanted some kind of “fluffy frosting”, instead of a buttercream type.

I loved this so much next week I’m going to make an Oreo cake with chocolate cake mix with mint flavored Oreos and use chocolate pudding instead of vanilla. That will be my reward for all the packing to move! And a great reward it will be!!! I’ll post that next week!

Oreo cake

2 Betty Crocker French Vanilla Cake mix

6 whole eggs at room temperature

2 cups water

2/3 cup oil

17 Oreos cut up in small chunks (not to small as you want crunch but not too big, I diced them with knife on cutting board. Don’t use a food processor for this step. Makes them too powdery (is that a word)?

Blend all ingredients together except the Oreos! I did end up adding a teaspoon of vanilla extract to the batter but that is up to you! When cake mix is blended well, stir in the crumbled Oreos to the mix and stir just until blended. Because I used two cake mixes I ended up pouring most of the batter (2/3 of it) into a greased 9 x 13 and then I used an 8 in.² pan to bake the other part of the batter! This allows me to make a pyramid style cake since it needs to feed more youngsters!

Bake in preheated 350 oven until each pan tests done. Cool and then invert the 9×13 onto a serving plate! Frost with Oreo frosting and place square cake onto the bottom layer. Frost and cover this top layer. Then sprinkle Oreo crumbles over top of cake. Then place a few whole Oreos as decoration if desired!

Frosting:

1 small package (3 oz size) of instant French vanilla or just instant vanilla pudding

1 1/2 cups of cold whole milk

1 8 oz tub of Extra Creamy Cool Whip

5-6 Oreos placed in food processor to grind them to a powder

Beat instant pudding with the milk until thick. Add the thawed but cold Cool Whip and blend with pudding. Stir cookies in just until mixed well. Frost cake layers and keep in fridge until ready to serve!

A dear friend of mine, Chrissie Dunham posted this recipe on her blog last week! When I saw it, I knew I had to make it for Memorial Day to go with our shredded pork sliders, baked beans, potato salad and Hawaiian Rolls. And my goodness it was delicious and well received. I’m not a huge slaw person but I loved this recipe. I ask Chrissie if she minded me sharing her recipe and of course, being the gracious Southern Belle that she is, said “of course you can”.

So here it is folks! So easy and so so yummy. Thanks Chrissie! Guess I owe you a chocolate pie!

First of all, I want to thank each man and woman who have served and are serving! As a Nation, we have become so separated emotionally (and that certainty includes me) from being thankful for the sacrifices that have been made for us today. Let’s teach and remind our families that Memorial Day is more than a day off….

Lord, rekindle our hearts to not only individually, but as a nation turn to You! Like the song we all began to sing in days following 911, “May We Never Forget” the sacrifices of so many! Today take a few minutes to tell our families why Memorial Day is celebrated and to just say a prayer of thanksgiving for the people who have given so much. And for God who has put us here in still the greatest country, “for such a time as this”

Alan W Jankowski   Poems  

Dec 2011

We Shall Never Forget (9-11 Tribute)

Let the world always remember,
That fateful day in September,
And the ones who answered duty’s call,
Should be remembered by us all.

Who left the comfort of their home,
To face perils as yet unknown,
An embodiment of goodness on a day,
When men’s hearts had gone astray.

Sons and daughters like me and you,
Who never questioned what they had to do,
Who by example, were a source of hope,
And strength to others who could not cope.

Heroes that would not turn their back,
With determination that would not crack,
Who bound together in their ranks,
And asking not a word of thanks.

Men who bravely gave their lives,
Whose orphaned kids and widowed wives,
Can proudly look back on their dad,
Who gave this country all they had.

Actions taken without regret,
Heroisms we shall never forget,
The ones who paid the ultimate price,
Let’s never forget their sacrifice.

And never forget the ones no longer here,
Who fought for the freedoms we all hold dear,
And may their memory never wane,
Lest their sacrifices be in vain.

This morning I felt so guilty leaving Randy alone last night to go have dinner with Jason (my oldest) that I knew I needed to make a better than normal peanut butter toast breakfast for him! Years ago while living in CA we learned about this great egg breakfast. And Loved it! So today before going to watch our grandson play ball, we dined on Chilaquiles. Such a simple yet so flavorful and filling breakfast.

This recipe serves 2

4 slices of bacon or Canadian bacon friend and chopped

3 eggs

2-3 corn tortillas diced or cut in small strips fried until crisp in a little oil

1/2 cup mild green enchilada sauce

1/2 sharp cheddar cheese

Spray small baking dish with Pam

Dish the fried and crisp tortilla strips into baking dish

Fry and scramble the eggs with the cooked and crumbled bacon or Canadian bacon. Spoon this mixture over the tortilla strips. Pour the enchilada sauce over mixture and top with cheese. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven. Serve with salsa if desired and warm tortillas! ole’

Yesterday was a packing day! As I prepared to pack some of the pantry, I thought about what kind of pie would taste good in the evening after dinner and we sit down for a couple hours before going to bed. Lemon meringue!!! That sounded like the perfect dessert for the night! When we lived in CA, a dear friend, Kathy, use to make the best lemon meringue pie. Asking her for the recipe, she took me into the kitchen and showed me the box of cook & serve lemon pudding and said “follow the instructions on the side of the box”. I was so surprised to learn that it was that simple and so delicious. So ever since then, that is what I have done. Except in today’s world, cook & serve lemon pudding is not easy to find. I had to order it from Walmart to be delivered. It is never in their stores. AND it costs $13.99 for 4 small boxes. But when you take that first bite of pie, you won’t mind that the little box of pudding mix cost you $3.50 a box.

I ended up making a chocolate pie for Sevy, our grandson who came over to bring us more boxes and requested I make him a chocolate pie with whipped cream. This one is not from a box. But the recipe is on the blog.

Lemon pie

1 small box of lemon cook & serve pudding

2 1/4 cups water (divided)

2 egg yolks (keep the whites for the meringue)

1/2 cup sugar

In saucepan, combine the sugar, pudding mix, egg yolks and 1/4 cup water. Using a whisk, stir mixture until smooth then add the remaining 2 cups of water. Continue stirring over medium heat until pudding is thickened! Pour into baked and cooked pie shell.

Meringue

Beat room temp egg whites (I added a 3rd egg white to the mixture to be sure it would be enough to over the pie well)

After whites have begun to get stiff, add 1/3 cup of granulated sugar, slowly, as you continue to beat until whites form stiff peaks. Spread meringue over entire top making sure the meringue goes all the way to the edge touching the crust on the side. Bake in preheated 350 oven for about 10-12 min or until golden brown on top. Allow to cool (if you can before you “have” to have a small piece, just to “try” it!

As Randy and I sat waiting for worship to begin this morning, I began to just listen to some of the things I heard going on around me. As I listened to these conversations I began to get tears in my eyes realizing that everything going on around me is indeed the church. Church is singing and giving all glory to our Creator! Church is hearing Gods Word taught to us each week! Church is a Quiet time of reflection that hopefully points us in the direction to see and know God for Who He is!

Today we celebrated our Victory in Jesus while partaking of the Lords Supper. As I grow in years, this sacrament becomes more special and meaningful to me! It is such a reminder of His great love and sacrifice that was made on Calvary for all of us! But as I said at the beginning of this post, today I began to reflect on what the church means to me and the blessing it is to me! I came away more thankful today than I have felt in a long time. Maybe it is because we had so many months of not being able to attend in Person or maybe I just simply have taken for granted for a long time what God has given to us in regards to The Church. Before church began this morning, it was so great to visit with friends who visited with us and as we talked we planned our next get together.

Today the Church was riding on the elevator with sweet new friends who shared that the wife will need another surgery for removal of cancer and she ask for prayer!

The Church was a lady standing right in Front of me introducing a young man to one of our ministers and assuring this young man that questions he had could be answered! The Church was watching people go over and hug a lady whose husband had died and just loving on her! The Church was seeing 20 people baptized this morning! The Church was visiting with a lady I had not talked to in a while and finding out her neighbor needed prayer regarding a possible move to Tennessee! The Church was having several on our single lady friends come sit over by us and ask how we were doing and how my birthday went. The Church today was old friends who used to live by us stand and visit with us and assure us we need to have dinner soon! The Church was gathering with our small group and hearing Gods Word taught and met a couple who were new to our group! Yes the Church is instituted by God for iour praise and worship and to grow spiritually in our walk with God. But it is so so much more!

Us. God gave us the Church because of His great love for us! As I walked out of the building that was built for us to gather together in His Name this morning, I realized just how blessed we truly are! That the Church being the church would allow us to have “The Church” every day no matter where we are, whether we are in the building or in our own part of our world! The Church is just that. it is people bonded together by the Holy Spirit that gives us so much more than just being able to sit and listen to a sermon and sing a few songs in a building, (Those are just the frosting on the cake). But It is first and foremost, Christ Himself! Living for us and through us that we are so blessed to be The Church! Yes all these are the Church and it is so much more, but these are the things that spoke to me today’