Chocolate Castles

Last evening we had some family over for a Tex-Mex dinner. It is awful to brag, but I do think (and since there was not one enchilada left) this was the best ones so far. They were very easy to make and have decided that this recipe will be the one I use from now on. If you want to watch how they were made, go to YouTube Sassy Southern, Trudy K Cox and watch the video I made while making them and you can see how easy they really are to make. But here is the recipe that I think you will be ever so in love with when you taste the.

2 large chicken breasts, cooked and diced

1 large onion, chopped

3 tables unsalted butter

16-20 yellow corn tortillas

1 can cream of chicken soup

2 (15 oz) cans mild Hatch Green chile enchilada sauce (i love the Hatch Green Chile Brand, but if you can’t that in the mild, use any brand that you can find if you are wanting to use the mild)

1 cup sour cream

3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1-2 teas Adobo Seasoning

1 teas garlic powder

1 teas black ground pepper

1/2 teas oregano

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Vegetable oil

When chicken breasts are cooked and cooled, dice or chop in small pieces. Set aside. Sauté the diced onion in the butter in small skillet until onion is clear and tender. Set aside.

Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet, when oil is hot, dip each tortilla in hot oil for about 2 -3 seconds, on each side and remove tortilla to a paper towel to absorb the grease. You might need to add more oil, before you have finished with all the tortillas. Be sure added oil is hot again before finishing with the rest of the tortillas. Set aside.

in each of 3 bowls, place diced chicken in one, shredded cheese in another and the onion in the 3rd bowl. Get your tortillas (when cool enough to handle) and begin placing a little of the chicken, cheese and onion in the tortillas, rolling each one and placing seam side down in a 9×13 greased pyrex baking dish that you have poured about 1/2 cup of the green enchilada sauce in the bottom of after greasing it. Mine held 15 enchiladas. You might have some of each mixture left over, if so, make another small pan of tortillas and either freeze them or have them for lunch/dinner the next night. Ok, for the sauce that you want poured over them:

Pour the rest of the open can of green enchilada sauce and the other can of sauce in a skillet. Add the above seasoning and the sour cream and whole can of cream of chicken to the enchilada sauce. I also added about 1 teas of black pepper to the sauce. Add the whipping cream. Cook the sauce until it is well blended. Spoon this mixture over the enchiladas until all is covered. I had enough left over for another small pan of enchiladas. Sprinkle as much cheese as you like over the top and bake, uncovered in a preheated 350 oven for about 30-40 minutes or until enchiladas are bubbling and all the cheese is melted.

Serve with rice and pintos and chips and salsa, guacamole and you have yourself a meal which you enjoy so very much. Remember to watch the video on You Tube, Sassy Southern.

Looking at my Face Book Memories this morning that popped up, made me just take a minute to sit and reflect over the last few years. Two years ago, Randy and I stepped onto a plane in North Carolina headed to Italy. It was a trip we had, for years, thought about, once even planned some of the necessary items, such as lodging, only to have to cancel due to some circumstances. But, there we were, one year year later, actually sitting on the plane, looking and smiling at each other, and thinking, about what we were about to experience. Of course, you never know all the things you will experience. That is half the fun. Not knowing every thing that will happen. But anticipating each and every adventure. We know that many of you were thinking, ‘what in the world are they doing at their age and what will happen if they fall or get a wallet stolen, or get so lost, they don’t know where they are, etc.” Well, each of those things did happen, but in each experience, we knew that God was watching over us and took care of every detail.

And when the necessary things fell upon us, such as the person who helped us get back where we needed to be at 10:00 p.m. in Rome, when Randy was pick pocketed on the bus we rode numerous times and when I fell getting off the train, each time, we knew that the Lord was right there.

So today, as I looked at the memory on FB and thought back about those most wonderful 3 months of getting to live our dream trip, it was just so precious to me to remember so many days and nights in Italy. Memories that we will never forget, nor take for granted. It is so interesting to me that 7 months after leaving Italy, it was shut down, due to Covid. Now, two years later, I’m not sure we would have attempted doing what we did. Because of some health issues, we might not be as “brave” as we were two years ago in attempting to do what we did. It is so awesome to remember being able to throw our 5 suitcases onto the train in between hoards of folks trying to get on. Riding the unairconditioned train to Sorrento with bees swirling around our heads, having to stand for a 2 hour train ride to Sorrento. Now, two years later, I get exhausted unpacking boxes to move in to our new home.

Two weeks ago, I had to quit carrying items down 3 flights of stairs, trying to help my daughter move. Two years ago, we were hauling 5 suitcases up 5 flights of stairs into our “home” and then going back out to eat and then having to return to said apartment several times a day. We found out that that saying, “what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger” is certainly true. We came home several pounds lighter, only to begin immediately chomping down on Mexican food which, of course, put the pounds back on. As long as we were there, we walked so much, we ate anything we wanted and still lost weight. Today, we are truly able to say, our weight is not because we eat too much, it is because we drive everywhere. At least that is my story and I’m sticking to it.

We got to experience going to a Baptist church in Rome several times and worship with people there from all over the world. We had the fun experience of being a “tour” guide for some friends who came to visit us while we were there, making us feel like we were so cool and hip, getting to show them that we knew how to get around Florence. We learned the bus system and what to do when we would get on the wrong bus. We experienced some fear when one evening, we did get off a bus before we were suppose to only to find ourselves walking in a neighborhood that we knew nothing about, our cell didn’t work and we had no idea how to call anyone to come rescue us and take us to where we were suppose to be. We experienced walking the streets of Florence trying to locate the store where Randy had left his passport while buying an Italian phone. There was the memories of trying to read Italian when no English word was anywhere in sight and we had no idea what bus stop to get off.

But we not only survived, we grew. We grew not only in terms of having to get out of our comfort zones and realize that no matter where we were, God was there. Sometimes, I feel that we, as Americans, we tend to think that God is just here and forget that God is truly God. He is Omnipresence, He truly is everywhere. There is no where any of us can go that He is not there. He is not only in America, but in every country of the world. We saw Him, on that awful train ride to Sorrento, when street musicians came aboard and began to play, allowing us to focus on them, and not the fact that we had to stand on a old bumpy train for 2 hours. We saw Him on the street which we finally found Randy’s passport. The man who spoke not a word of English, had saved it for us, knowing we would be back. We felt His presence, not only in many accents, singing and worshiping together in that church in Rome, but in the precious acceptance and help from people trying to assist us in grocery stores, drug stores and standing on streets, looking at maps, trying to decide which way to go. There were days when, we looked at the most beautiful blue waters of the Bay of Naples, driving by gorgeous vineyards around Tuscany, the cobbled streets of small villages, the hills and cypress trees which we saw as the train speed by. The waters and canals of Venice were something to behold.

Yes, today, we have so much to remember and so much to be thankful for. We know that, even now, in our home on a small street in Frisco, TX we not only have these wonderful memories, but we know that God is here, in this place, giving us new dreams and desires that continually bring hope and assurance that……dreams can and do come true!

Isa 139:7-9

Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there;

if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your Hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.

Psalms 37….”trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.

Last week, some of our kids were coming to dinner and had requested this dish a couple of weeks ago. It sounded really good when I looked at the recipe, so decided to try it. Im not really fond of pasta with cream sauces, as I prefer tomato based, but after having this, I have changed my mind and was so glad I tried it. Was so easy and had such few ingredients that it makes a great dish to serve company.

2 cups cubed roasted chicken breast ( I stopped in at Costco and picked one up)

16 oz box of penne pasta, cooked until done and drained

Sauce

3 tables butter

3 tables flour

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups half & half

1/2 teas dried oregano

1/2 tesas dreid basil

1 1/2 cups shredded parmesan cheese

1/2 teas salt

1/2 teas pepper ( I added about another 1/2 teas as I love the flavor of pepper with the cream)

Chop chicken breast until you have about 2 cups. Set aside. Reserve rest of chicken for another use.

Melt the butter and stir in the flour until a paste is formed. Stir in the minced garlic and cook in paste until garlic is tender. Gradually add the half & half in and stir continually until it is beginning to thicken. Add the spices and the cheese. Stir until well blended. Add the cooked (and drained) penne pasta into the sauce. When well mixed, sprinkle even more cheese over the top and place in a preheated 350 oven. Bake until cheese on top is melted and pasta is beginning to bubble. Serve with fresh garlic bread and salad.

One of our grandsons got in the car on Tuesday and before ever saying “hi nana, thanks for picking me up from school and do you know how much I love you and you are my fav person to hang out with?”, he threw his golf clubs in the back, got his phone out to text his girlfriend, looked over at me and said,”Nana, could you maybe make some red velvet thumbprints cookies and make the frosting cream cheese that goes in the thumbprint?, oh and could we run by Chick Fila and get some food and a coke, I’m about to die of thirst!” Well, back in my day (which was too many days back to count) I would have first at least looked over at my grandmother and said,”hello grandmother it is so good to see you and thank you so much for taking the time to come pick me up since my parents were busy!” And then, I would have given my requests! But because he actually talked to me (well until his mouth was full of Chick Fila and was busy texting his girlfriend) 7 1/2 min of the 30 min car ride home, I agreed to make him these cookies! So here it is, all you red velvet lovers: very easy and I have to admit, not only are they cute but you can down about 5 of them before you begin to count calories. After all, can something that is called bunny bites really be bad for you? I think not!

1 Duncan Hines Red Velvet cake mix

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter melted and cooled

1 teas vanilla

1 large egg

Mix all 4 ingredients in a bowl and stir until well blended. Be sure the butter was cooled before adding to mixture. Mixture will be thick.

Wrap and place in fridge for about an hour or even overnight!

I used the candy size paper liners in the miniature muffin tin pan and dropped about a tablespoon of dough in each. This made about 40 cookies! Bake in preheated 350 oven for 10 min. Using a Thumbkin (I made my own using a stick and wooden ball) or your own thumb, make an indentation while still warm. Fill that indention with your fav cream cheese frosting. Recipe for frosting is below if you want to make these bunny bites really “bunnylicious”

Cream cheese Frosting

1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature

1. (8 oz) softened cream cheese

1 box (3 1/2 cups) powdered sugar

Enough whipping cream or milk to get frosting so you can use it in cookie press or frosting tube! Beat until well blended and smooth!

I have no idea what happened but when I went to my blog to get this recipe this morning it wasn’t there. So am reposting it. Just made a video on Sassysouthern on YouTube making these awesome chocolate cookies that are divine. Here is the recipe that mysteriously disappeared! Recipe is also in Tis So Sweet. Amazon for $12 should you want a cookbook with all desserts and who doesn’t want that?

Easter and the celebration of knowing we serve a living Savior is almost here! Maybe this is a difficult season in your life and you are wondering what difference it makes that Jesus Christ is alive! This book is filled with testimonies from women. Maybe just like you or someone you know, who is going  thru a hard time but knew The One who would walk through every difficulty in their lives. Does He promise us a life of prosperity and no problems? No…but what He does promise us is that He will ALWAYS be there walking thru it with us!

Daniel 3:25

“Look King Nebuchadnezzar shouted! I see four men, unbound, walking around in the fire. They aren’t even hurt by the flames! And the fourth man looks like a Divine being”

If you or someone you know is needing some encouragement right now, send them Tis So Sweet! It is available on Amazon for $12. These testimonies that you will read will tell how God met them at very hard times in their lives!

Yesterday I heard a preacher say that we can never know the peace of God until we have peace With God. Who is needing to hear that today?

You can thank me later! Tuesday morning began like any other day. I got up, opened up my Diet DrPepper and sat down to read my devotion of the day. Decided to then make breakfast for Randy and I before heading to the Dr to see about a problem I have been having with my hip. Since I knew I would have to get on the industrial scale the dr has installed that looks like and is almost large enough to weigh an 18 wheeler, I decided to eat light that morning . I didn’t want the Dr fussing at me for gaining weight these last 6 months! So we ate a light breakfast of scrambled eggs with cheese. Toast (but without jelly, trying to stay “light”), sausage patties and juice. We skipped fried potatoes that morning. Didn’t want to take any chances of adding a pound or two. Feeling pretty cocky and Positive that I could still zip my jeans to dress nice for dr appointment. I drove to the appointment feeling pretty spiffy that Dr would look at me and say, “trudy I’m so proud of you, you did great these last 6 months and didn’t gain the Covid weight most people have gained!” When the Dr assistant came to walk me back, we chatted and she stopped me in front of the heavy metal floor scale that weighs folks! I told her it would take me a min to disrobe all the unnecessary cloths that I knew would add pounds! So I proceeded to take off my coat, my vest, my earrings, my bracelet and shoes! When I began to remove my mask she stopped me and said, ” oh Ms Trudy, you have to keep your mask on”. What??? But that is unnecessary baggage and might effect the scales! So very unhappily leaving the mask on, I glanced to the image the red light was projecting on the wall from the scale! Lo and Behold, just as I had warned the lady who was writing down the info she was seeing, the masks had indeed caused a 10 lb difference since last dr visit! So please ladies and gentlemen, be careful which mask you wear to weigh in. Some of them have hidden weights in them. They might look small and flimsy but beware!!! They are not what you want to be caught in when having to weigh in at dr office! Be sure and choose a mask that does not have these weights! No matter the light versions of meals you consume before going will not be enough to keep the scales down if you are wearing the wrong masks!!!! Please pass this on so others will be in the know! And to think that Randy and I went without the normal large order of French fries that we have along with our double double hamburger at In and Out the night before the appointment! If I had known about this we would not have sacrificed the fries! This is so sad that we were never warned about this! Am now on a search for a new masks that has no writing or pictures or any weights secretly sewed in them. And by the way, all of you who were mailed pretty little lime green masks that has Humana written in large white letters….that screens “I am A Senior Citizen”, throw that one out also!

Tis So Sweet is now available on Amazon $12 and is full of wonderful testimonies from woman who have so sweetly shared their hearts! Bake a cookie, scone, pie or cake, from the many recipes in the book! Sit and read stories of Gods faithfulness to women, who have gone thru a difficult season but chose to put their trust in the One who gives us hope and peace! Thanks to Barbi Wright Briscoe, Becky Frame, Christi Schwalk, Debbie Stuart,Dee Smith, Dianne Bryant, Haley Stuart Taylor, Holly Hawkins Shivers, Linda Perry, Simone Monroe, Sylvia Gilmour and Wyndi Geren for your willingness of opening up your heart to us! May God be glorified through these declarations!