Miracle Peach Pie:
A few days ago Randy and I were driving on the tollway when The Peach Truck came up beside us and I remembered some of our kids (Cam & Mandy) always buying peaches from them!
So it got me in the mood for fresh peaches and will be making this pie in next few days.
It is one of the first recipes which I remember making as I entered into my late teen years. My Aunt Gladys, who was my biggest cheerleader, gave me a cookbook which now has old spills all through the pages. She showed me this recipe and it quickly became a favorite of our family.�

2 cups diced peeled fully ripe peaches�¼ cup sugar, 1 ¼ cups water�1 small pkg of Jello Vanilla Pudding (not instant)�¼ teas salt,1/8 teas nutmeg, 2 teas lemon juice, 1 tables butter, ¼ teas almond extract�1 baked 8 in pie shell, cooled.�Combine peaches, sugar and 1 cup of the water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Combine the pudding mix, salt, nutmeg, lemon juice and remaining ¼ cup water. Stir to form a smooth paste. Add to boiling fruit, stirring to blend. Then cook and stir until mixture comes to a full boil.�Remove from heat and add butter and almond extract. Cool 5 mins. Pour into baked pie shell. Let stand about 4 hrs or until firm. Serve with sweetened whipped cream and additional sweetened sliced peaches if desired

It’s been almost a year since Randy and I moved out of our house into an over 55 community and into an apartment! Would I have feelings of regret or disappointment of leaving a house with a garage and a pantry that held so many sets of dishes and pounds of flour and sugar? What would it be like living in a building where 200 others lived and would we fit in? So many questions and so many different expectations! There are still days when I do miss having a garage and a large pantry but there are things here that have made up for the things that I miss! We have a community of people that have been truly a gift to us! Just like last night, we had been gone most of the day doing pre op appt for randy and got home at 4:00. Randy fell asleep and I ran downstairs to find someone/anyone that could look in my eye to see if they could find my lost contact that had been a source of pain for the last 4-5 hours. As soon as I saw a friend and explained my situation, she took me by the hand and led me over to another friend, who happened to be a nurse years ago. She quickly saw the contact and gave me directions on how to flush it out! She also reminded me that she was going to be bringing me some cilantro that she grows before assuring me that she will run up if I need her! Well I got the contact out and before I knew it, our doorbell rang and it was another friend who had brought us dinner from downstairs. Every Thursday Avenida serves different foods for us and last night, they served egg rolls, chicken fried rice and sushi! She knew we had been gone all day and she thought it might be nice for me not to have to cook! So my dinner ingredients went in the fridge and we ate Chinese! We have had people leave cookies or candy at our doorstep when we open the door to leave and find little thought gifts from time to time! This place has been a gift from God to us as it is just so nice to sit out on our patio and have people walk by downstairs and look up and talk to us! We never have to feel lonely as there is hardly a day that goes by that we don’t see friends to talk to just walking down the hall or downstairs as we come and go! That would not happen if we were still in a house. Because Randy is in a season of not being able to go like we use to we were feeling isolated in our house so many times. But here….we are a community of people who look out and care for one another! We no longer have a garage or a huge pantry but we have so much more! It is refreshing to just look out our windows and see all the blessings God has poured out to us! And I don’t miss the garage or pantry near as much!!! When I do, I open our door and walk downstairs and then remember what all God has given us.

Prayer of Jabez:

Oh Lord that you would bless me indeed that You would enlarge my territory, may Your Hand be with me and You would keep me from evil that I would not cause pain! and God granted His Request!

1 Chronicles 4:10

Randy and I have closed our devotions almost every single day for years with this scripture , and yes, God continues to have his hand over us as we begin another new season, which was out of our comfort zone, as He continues to expand our territory!

Our church has been having a senior revival this week with Henry Blackabys son Richard, preaching! Yesterday he focused on Genesis 12 when God spoke to Abraham at the age of 75! Genesis 12 is the chapter that tells of Abram being called by God to leave his family and home and go! Abraham wasn’t told where but just to go and God would lead him where he was suppose to go. Abraham just had to trust God and be obedient to leave everything familiar to him! Well, he was obedient to go but he stopped short of the destination when he became fearful during a time of famine and went to Egypt! But there things began to unravel! Abraham lost his faith in God to protect him and his wife! In fact, Abraham had his wife lie and say she was his sister so the Egyptians wouldn’t kill him so they could have her, as she told them she was jsut his sister!In other words, Abraham made his wife a liar and allowed her to be taken in Pharoahs harem just so he would safe. What happened to Abrams faith in God! Did he think God could keep him safe just part of the time, not all the time? Was he thinking that once he got to where he was originally being led, that he could go back to trusting God but that until then God could not be trusted? What led Abram to think God would not protect and provide for he and his wife? Before we cast judgement on him, let’s stop and think of the times when we have done the same thing. We trust God to show us where to move, what house to buy, what school to attend, who to marry, but sometimes when we don’t like the answers He gives, we decide we know what is best! Mr Blackaby shares that first, we have to allow God to work in us before He can work thru us! Because Abram needed time to become the man that God wanted him to be before he had Issac, it was 25 years before God gave Issac to Sarah and Abraham! What if They had had Issac when Abram was still the man that allowed his wife to be taken into Pharoahs haram and told her to lie because he was afraid. Was this the type of person God wanted to father a son? It wasn’t until Abraham grew in his faith, trust and obedience, that God blessed them with the promised child. What is God withholding from my life and yours because of any disobedience or immature faith that He is trying to grow in us? Not only is He wanting our trust, but our obedience. Maybe this is why we keep getting a “no” or “wait” before some of our prayers are not bringing the results God wants to give us? Is there something in my life that I need to let go of before He can move me forward?

“Trust and obey, for there is no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey!”

Soon after moving to Dallas and marrying Randy I use to read a column in the Dallas Morning News that was so entertaining! One day I happened to see this article they gave a recipe for pecan pie and I quickly cut it out! That was about 25 plus years ago and last night i happened to go thru some old recipes I had saved in a folder! This recipe was a little different from my old stand by pecan pie recipe so I decided right then to make it first thing g this morning! We were having friends over for dinner this would make the perfect ending to a fried chicken dinner! It uses just brown sugar instead of granulated and brown combination! It turned out wonderful I only had light brown sugar so used that not the dark brown sugar!

Avenida had a tea for the ladies a couple weeks ago and one of the ladies ask the group what were some of the things we rememebered from years past. Someone mentioned that they always had just plain sliced bread on the table at every meal, to which we all agreed that our homes had the same. Fast forward to today and when I was trying to figure out what to have for dinner, I remembered how good sliced bread always tasted with gravy! So tonight we relieved days gone by with fried chicken baked with gravy, rice and sliced bread with gravy, fried okra and a fresh tomato just because it made the plate look pretty! They didn’t have much flavor but added color to the southern meal! We both enjoyed the familiar flavor of just good ole sliced bread with gravy! Brought back so many memories….one of which was my mom always saying “Trudy K no more, you have already had 3 slices! You don’t need anymore!” And that is maybe why one of my nicknames was Ms Pleasingly Plump!

We have been on a Chinese food kick for a few days. After discovering how good PF Chang’s frozen Orange Chicken was, I bought another package of it along with Tai Pei frozen veggie egg rolls! Before adding the Orange Chicken to the skillet, I sautéed Purple onion, zucchini, red and green bell pepper, sliced carrot and mushrooms in a little hot oil until the veggies were almost done then added the frozen Orange chicken (the sauce is included with the chicken) and cooked according to directions on bag! Movie the Boil N Bag of rice, I cooked one bag for us so we could pour the chicken rice mixture over the rice! I wish I had taken a picture of our dinner but it was so good, we gobbled it up quickly ! While the chicken was cooking in the skillet I placed the egg rolls in the oven and baked according to directions. It was the best frozen Chinese dinner we had ever had and the egg rolls were delicious! Was exciting to know that we can have a great homemade easy Chinese meal at home without having to run to Panda Express plus have the veggies we prefer! Wanted to share a very easy Chinese chicken meal with y’all!

Yesterday we were listening to a morning program while we were having a cup of coffee (yes in cool weather sometimes I forgo my Dr Pepper for coffee that has a ton of coffee mate so I don’t actually taste the coffee) that had an author of a children’s book called “Good Morning Sunshine”. For some reason that got me in a sunshiny mood every time I thought of that expression! I thought about it all day and woke up today thinking of how those three words truly changed my attitude! How can three simple words really change my attitude? When I thought about how it made me feel if I woke up everyday and simply said to Randy “Good morning Sunshine”, how might it make him feel as well instead of

“Good morning, are you ready for coffee” or “how did you sleep” or “well, what’s on the calendar for today?”

It is hard to say Good Morning Sunshine without smiling, which, as we age gets harder to do first thing in the morning! We have to get all the stiffness, cricks, and aches out and under control before having breakfast, read our Bibles and dress! But yesterday, I felt the Lord using those 3 words really convicting me, as a Christian, should I not be living each day with that attitude? When days sometimes find us in a valley or circumstances overwhelm me, should I not remember that God has, is and always will be the SONSHINE of my soul! When I’m feeling out of sorts, instead of feeling self pity or discouraged, why don’t I remember how He had always provided and protected me! Before getting out of bed in the mornings, I try to make it a habit of giving my day to the Lord and asking Him to use me according to His will. But then sometimes, by the time I get breakfast made and dressed, something happens and I loose my motivation to live in a way that I had just ask the Lord to help me do! Why is that? It’s because we allow the news on TV or radio to darken our mood, are we hear or read about a loved one getting a bad diagnosis, or sometimes, if I admit it, jealousy creeps from news of a friend getting something we want but can’t have! Daily hurts and disappointments seem to have such an influence over our attitudes if we allow it! But God….He is not only our strength and Savior, but wants to be the SONSHINE of our hearts! So today, if you find yourself walking around with some much needed joy, try saying those three simple words every time you come face to face with someone! It will not only bring a smile to your heart , but you never know what it might bring to others who hear it! Sounds simple, doesn’t it!

Psalm 16:11

You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in Your Presence with eternal pleasures at Your Right Hand.

Since the weather is still running a little cool, potato soup sounded like it would taste good today! I had some hash browns in the freezer that had the bell pepper and onions already included (I think they call that O’Brien potatoes?)

So decided to use them for a quick pot of soup. This is a recipe that I will now keep! It was so quick and easy and cooked in Clementine (the Crockpot) while Randy and I were downstairs for a meeting for about an hour or so!

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon bacon grease

2 cups of cubed hash browns

1 carrot sliced thin

1/2 small onion, chopped

1/2 cup of chopped celery

2 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 package of Pioneer Country gravy added to 1 cup of water

Salt, pepper, garlic powder, 1/2 teas thyme

1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

Heat the bacon grease and sauté the onion, celery and potatoes for 3-4 min over medium heat.

Pour chicken broth in crockpot. Place sliced carrot into broth. Add the potatoes/veggie ingredients to the broth. Cook on high for about 2 hrs or until carrot and potatoes are tender!

Mix the gravy mix with 1 cup of room temp water until smooth and pour into crockpot, stirring until well mixed. add the cheese and stir! Place lid back on crockpot and cook for another 20-30 min on low! Ladle soup into bowls and serve with crackers of choice!

About two years ago , I made a rather large investment of $13 and purchased a 1.5 qt crockpot! It is perfect for a single or a couple that don’t want to eat the same food for 3-4 more meals.

This cute little crockpot has been used more than any cooking utensil I have ever owned; well except my mixer that is almost used on a daily basis making dessert, but that is another story. Yesterday I had a chicken breast that I had cooked on Sat hoping to make chicken tacos but we ended up eating out all weekend. Please don’t judge us, we just kept thinking about Menas, Fish Shake and of course one of the best hamburger places, (ok I have to be completely honest here, we had a gift card) Kenny’s Burgers. So since I had this chicken breast already cooked and a cold front was coming at us last night, green chile chicken soup just sounded like a great dinner! It is so easy and the flavor was truly delicious. I used the chicken broth from cooking the chicken and added a regular size can (forgot to look before I threw it away but it is around a 14 ounce can) of chicken broth. Here is rest of ingredients BUT…I put a little different spin on the veggie prep.

1/2 large zucchini , cut small cubes

1/2 small onion, chopped

2 carrots, sliced

1 large celery stick

1/2 green bell pepper

1/2 small can of mild green chiles

Garlic powder

Fresh cilantro

No salt seasoning (picture of this is below!

Sauté the celery, onion and green bell pepper in about 1/2 tablespoon of heated bacon grease about 5 min (this adds a little extra flavor that is so yummy)

Add chopped chicken, onion, celery, pepper and broth to the crockpot! Add the sliced carrots, zucchini, green Chiles and garlic, cilantro and black pepper.

Cook on high for 3-4 hours until vegetables are tender.

I used basmati rice from boil in bag and cooked it for 11 min! When ready to serve, place a spoonful of rice in the bottom of serving bowl and top with a ladle of the chicken soup over the rice! This is a very flavorful soup and we will have enough today for lunch. (The rest of the rice was added to the soup for our lunch today!)

Then our adorable little crockpot is then cleaned and ready for whatever pops in my mind for tomorrow’s lunch or dinner! Since we are going to watch our granddaughter play ball tonight, we will stop on way home for pizza and give Clementine (the crockpot) some rest before plugging her in again tomorrow!

Yesterday Randy and I were going to dinner with some of our kids, so we decided to have a heavier breakfast in which would allow us to skip lunch so we would be really hungry for dinner at one of our favorite places, Dunstons! Finding that my can of biscuits were a can of cinnamon rolls and not biscuits , I found a package of flour tortillas and immediately had a thought! Well, now I realized that I didn’t have any frozen hash browns, so I got a couple of small yellow skinned potatoes and cut them in small cubes and began to fry my own breakfast potatoes! When they were almost done, I sliced a green onion in with them and added a big pat of butter to the skillet with salt and pepper. As the potatoes were frying, I fried bacon and then laid it aside! Time to fry the eggs! Got two eggs out (and of course handled them with care as I wasn’t dressed to go to the bank to get a loan to go buy more) and then fried them in a little of the bacon grease ! I didn’t say this was healthy or low cal, just said it is really delicious.

Now time to put it together….butter a flour (or corn) tortilla and place it on a microwave plate! Put some of the hash browns on the tortilla, then a couple strips of bacon, some of the egg !

Pour a little red (or green) enchilada sauce over the egg/potato/bacon mixture and sprinkle some sharp cheddar cheese over the top! Place in microwave and heat for 30-40 seconds or until cheese is melted!

If you are cooking for more than 2 you can make these in a baking dish and use as much tortillas, eggs, hash browns and bacon as needed for the people you are serving! Then top with the sauce and cheese and bake in preheated 350 oven for about 20 minutes. We had eaten almost all of ours before it dawned on me that I should post the recipe! Was so easy and so good! And the best part was that it didn’t detour our appetite for our usual steak that night !