I haven't felt compelled to write for awhile - not sure why. We have continued our Monday Night Supper, but we tried everything I'd always wanted to try and hadn't, so the past few weeks have been less than inspired. We even had KFC one Monday when I didn't feel like cooking! We've moved on to more fellowship, less experimentation.
This next week will be our last Supper with John. He leaves Sunday, August 12th for the Marine Corps. It has come too soon, and yet, in a strange way, not soon enough. He's been so ready to go, it has felt like waiting for the other shoe to drop since April. I am so dreading his leaving, but so excited for him as he begins his new adventure. I am hearing all kinds of well-meaning comments from friends and family and am such a jumble of emotions right now. It's impossible to know, when you are leaving all you've ever known, that you actually won't be back. Yes, you come back to visit, hopefully for long times and often, but it is never really 'home' again. I don't think he realizes that. I've had several people with military experience (both personally or with familiy members) tell me that he won't be the same person after boot camp. I know that, too, but I have faith that he will be a better person. My prayer for him is that he takes his faith, his compassion, his caring and his sense of humor with him wherever life leads him. (I got a brand new box of Kleenex for work but didn't think to get one for home....good thing I have napkins.)
I am so proud of the man he has grown up to be. I am also very pleased with the young woman he has chosen to share his life. I hope we can all come together to give them the wedding they want and deserve in November. It will be nice to have a distraction during those long 3 months he is gone and can communicate only through snail mail.
A former Sailor at work told me this week that the three strongest memories he has from his adult life are his wedding, the day his son was born, and seeing his mother sobbing as he left for basic training. John is facing two of those in the next three months, but my wish for him is to have many, many more happy emotional memories. I have spent my life shutting myself off from people and emotions and I want him to welcome both.
The next week will be hard. There will be tears and smiles, laughter and new memories. At the end of the day, though, I put my trust in God and know that He will be there with us all, through it all and bring good things to pass.
Amen.
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Chicago Journal
I'm deviating from my Supper Club posts to share my journal from the past week at Discovering Opportunities for Outreach and Reflection in Chicago with the Youth Group from First Presbyterian Church in High Point. This is what I wrote along the way, with a little editing and clarifying. To protect their privacy, I'm only using initials of other people, though.
6/17 a.m. We spent the night last night at Sugar Creek Presbyterian Church in Kettering, OH. It was established in 1804. Beautiful Church! We were treated to breakfast by W and will be attending Worship here before heading on to Chicago.
6/17 p.m. In Chicago. There are 85 people here this week - including 17 youth and 4 adults from Italy! I'm teamed with L, A, J, J, J and E. First stop tomorrow, Gaia Movement. I think they're a clothing ministry? [P.S. No, a recycling facility] Anyway, I'm looking forward to it, but wishing I'd brought some flip flops for the shower - will try to remember to buy some tomorrow if I get the chance.
6/18 We rode two trains, a bus and walked quite a bit to get to the Gaia Movement, where Alex gave us a presentation on recycling and then we split in two groups to take apart recyclable components and work on a rainforest garden. It was 91 degrees there today - it didn't really seem that warm with the wind, though. I never realized how very many parts go into some of the things we take for granted - printers, for instance. There are circuit boards, plastics, screws, springs, etc. They are quite hard to completely separate! I even spent a little while taking a zig saw to an infant car seat - the screws were so tight, we stripped them and had to cut them (and it) apart. It really seemed ironic that some of the things we disassembled were in really good shape and could have been used rather than recycled for parts. I think some of the people in our group really enjoyed taking hammers to some things that proved difficult. The rainforest component consisted mainly of pulling weeds and raking, trying to clear a spot for the garden to eventually be planted. We were not working on them today, but they also have a community garden, worm pit and 3-phase compost pile. We were able to compost out organic lunch remains - orange peels, apple cores, etc. All in all, it was pretty neat, but I'm glad to get back to the Church and off my feet. Tomorrow, we're due to go to the Open Lands, which are community gardens - I've been assured the main organizer there can find me something other than gardening! Preferably sitting down. Getting there will be a different story. One of my 'out of my comfort zone' issues is not knowing directions in advance. I don't do well with blindly following, but I'm trying to let go of that and I think I'm doing a pretty good job of it if I do say so myself. One more thought - I was very proud of how polite and considerate our guys were on the L, especially one. He was the first several times to jump up and offer his seat. There were all very helpful to me, too - and I used them as needed!
6/19 This morning we left at 7a.m. to work in a community garden. I tore out a flower bed and planted trillium (sp?) plants, then watered the whole garden. Some folks were weeding, some planting, sweeping the sidewalk, mowing, weed-eating, digging, etc. It was a very productive morning. Unfortunately, L lost her camera, so we lost our 'before' pictures, but we have a group shot afterwards, taken around 'my' flower bed! [P.S. The camera was found and returned to DOOR that evening] This particular garden was started by a group of 4 people 20 years ago, one of whom was Willie Marks. Mr. Marks lives next door and very graciously provided ice water, bottle tea and snacks mid-morning. He and one other lady are the only 2 of the original founders still living. After we were done, we came back to the Church to eat and are leaving shortly for the Sears Tower and a walking tour of downtown. I just told J & E if I'm going too slow, they can park me somewhere and come back later.
(Later) We took the blue line to the pink line to the overhead (Metro?), then walked to the Willis [formerly Sears] Tower. One of our group didn't want to go, so she and I stayed at McDonald's on the corner while the rest of the group went up. I had almost backed out totally - I told L I didn't want to be a burden but she said it was fine, so I ended up really glad I went - I was definitely needed, even if I did cause some major slow downs, especially on the M-A-N-Y steps up and down to the trains. From there, we walked to Millennium Park and saw the water walls, amphitheater and bean statue. We made it back in time for dinner and I really enjoyed some one-on-one time with a couple of the kids throughout the day.
(Even later) Amazing talk by Brenda Matthews, poet and Christian speaker! Good reflections on our day with small group, then all of First Pres - followed by some lively games of King Mao and Spoons in the Fellowship Hall - I'm ready for lights out!
6/20 a.m. Clean up this morning - much easier than p.m. clean up the other night! I'm not really looking forward to today. We're going to Cornerstone Family Shelter. I am so much more comfortable working behind the scenes than with people. I don't interact well with people I know, much less ones I don't know and won't ever see again. I enjoy helping and serving, but don't want to get involved. I'm thinking today will really stretch my comfort zone.
(Later) That went much better than I anticipated. We ended up sorting clothing donations, then visiting/sitting with the guests at the shelter while we and they ate lunch. I sat with a 56-year old Army veteran. He was very nice and we talked the whole time. He went to basic at Fort Jackson in South Carolina - said he loved it - so much warmer than west side Chicago where he grew up and lives now. After lunch, we went back to sorting clothes until one of the collection trucks showed up. The kids helped unload the donations off the truck and we pretty much left after that. Tonight, we're heading out for Chicago Pizza and the Navy Pier. Late night tonight!
6/21 I overdid it yesterday. Thankful for K getting me a cab to Navy Pier after Pizza! I didn't sleep well last night - kept waking up and finally gave up about 5:30 and took a shower. Very reviving, although I'm sitting here now sweating already. Today, we are heading to Reba Place, about 2 hours away. I think most of our large group has been there - sounds like largely clean up, but some have distributed fliers door-to-door in the neighborhood. Yesterday's group ate lunch by Lake Michigan and went swimming. We're taking a change of clothes (just shirt for me - you couldn't have paid me to bring a bathing suit) and will head straight to the Point afterwards for our final supper and group reflection. It's been a good week, but honestly one of the hardest I've ever had. I'm looking forward to heading home, but will be sorry to see it end, too. I'm having second thoughts about tomorrow afternoon/evening at the aquarium and baseball game. I'll have to wait and see how today goes. "Breathe in, breathe out, move on".
(Later) Reba Place turned out to be my favorite place! We started out rather disorganized, but our host, Dan finally got there and he has such a passion for the community. I actually ended up sitting the A/C reading while the team taped fliers to doors in the neighborhood about a pizza party in the park that night. The Church is Mennonite and works hard for peace and reconciliation in the community. After lunch, they did a little yard work, then we all walked to the park and played basketball, handing out drinks and Popsicles to the kids who were there. After that, we had a LONG train, train, bus ride to Promotory Point Park, where we met the entire DOOR group for pizza and a closing reflection. Beautiful spot on Lake Michigan.
6/22 This morning we are cleaning up , saying goodbye to the other three Churches here and heading out to the Shedd Aquarium, then the White Sox game this evening.
(Later) it turns out 2 of the other 3 groups are also staying tonight. Our group was really hoping to spread out a little, I think.
(Even later) Our team did a great job on the bathrooms with only a little grumbling LOL. We're slowly gathering in the Sanctuary now for a final whole group reflection. After that, we're heading out for the day. K braided my hair for me! I hate we had to turn in our water bottles today. I bought DOOR tee shirts for J & D - have to get something for MB and A! I think we're shopping at some point today. In hindsight, I really wish we could have had more Worship and fellowship time with the other groups. The whole crew was so large that everyone pretty much stuck to their own Church groups on sites. It would've been nice to get to know the others' better, but there were just too many. It would've been nice to have more singing and Worship together, too, but the days were so packed with activity (and travel), there just wasn't time. The 2 sessions we did have were wonderful and reminded me of NC Presbyterian Pilgrimage.
(Later) no Shedd (3 hour wait), got shirts for A & MB, long day of waiting - good game.
6/24 Wow - I was absolutely worn out when we got back Friday night. Yesterday, we were up at 6 a.m., had the vehicles packed and were on the road close to 6:30. It was a really long day of travel, ending up back at the Church at 10 p.m. almost on the dot. All in all, it was a pretty smooth trip, though. We stopped a couple more times than we would've liked, but for being on a van with 9-10 other people ALL DAY LONG, it went really well. As noted earlier, I was so glad to get home, but a little sad that it was all over. The Youth did a great job this morning of sharing part of our stories in the two Worship services - I will miss them this Summer. Chicago was a great initiation to Mission trips!
6/17 a.m. We spent the night last night at Sugar Creek Presbyterian Church in Kettering, OH. It was established in 1804. Beautiful Church! We were treated to breakfast by W and will be attending Worship here before heading on to Chicago.
6/17 p.m. In Chicago. There are 85 people here this week - including 17 youth and 4 adults from Italy! I'm teamed with L, A, J, J, J and E. First stop tomorrow, Gaia Movement. I think they're a clothing ministry? [P.S. No, a recycling facility] Anyway, I'm looking forward to it, but wishing I'd brought some flip flops for the shower - will try to remember to buy some tomorrow if I get the chance.
6/18 We rode two trains, a bus and walked quite a bit to get to the Gaia Movement, where Alex gave us a presentation on recycling and then we split in two groups to take apart recyclable components and work on a rainforest garden. It was 91 degrees there today - it didn't really seem that warm with the wind, though. I never realized how very many parts go into some of the things we take for granted - printers, for instance. There are circuit boards, plastics, screws, springs, etc. They are quite hard to completely separate! I even spent a little while taking a zig saw to an infant car seat - the screws were so tight, we stripped them and had to cut them (and it) apart. It really seemed ironic that some of the things we disassembled were in really good shape and could have been used rather than recycled for parts. I think some of the people in our group really enjoyed taking hammers to some things that proved difficult. The rainforest component consisted mainly of pulling weeds and raking, trying to clear a spot for the garden to eventually be planted. We were not working on them today, but they also have a community garden, worm pit and 3-phase compost pile. We were able to compost out organic lunch remains - orange peels, apple cores, etc. All in all, it was pretty neat, but I'm glad to get back to the Church and off my feet. Tomorrow, we're due to go to the Open Lands, which are community gardens - I've been assured the main organizer there can find me something other than gardening! Preferably sitting down. Getting there will be a different story. One of my 'out of my comfort zone' issues is not knowing directions in advance. I don't do well with blindly following, but I'm trying to let go of that and I think I'm doing a pretty good job of it if I do say so myself. One more thought - I was very proud of how polite and considerate our guys were on the L, especially one. He was the first several times to jump up and offer his seat. There were all very helpful to me, too - and I used them as needed!
6/19 This morning we left at 7a.m. to work in a community garden. I tore out a flower bed and planted trillium (sp?) plants, then watered the whole garden. Some folks were weeding, some planting, sweeping the sidewalk, mowing, weed-eating, digging, etc. It was a very productive morning. Unfortunately, L lost her camera, so we lost our 'before' pictures, but we have a group shot afterwards, taken around 'my' flower bed! [P.S. The camera was found and returned to DOOR that evening] This particular garden was started by a group of 4 people 20 years ago, one of whom was Willie Marks. Mr. Marks lives next door and very graciously provided ice water, bottle tea and snacks mid-morning. He and one other lady are the only 2 of the original founders still living. After we were done, we came back to the Church to eat and are leaving shortly for the Sears Tower and a walking tour of downtown. I just told J & E if I'm going too slow, they can park me somewhere and come back later.
(Later) We took the blue line to the pink line to the overhead (Metro?), then walked to the Willis [formerly Sears] Tower. One of our group didn't want to go, so she and I stayed at McDonald's on the corner while the rest of the group went up. I had almost backed out totally - I told L I didn't want to be a burden but she said it was fine, so I ended up really glad I went - I was definitely needed, even if I did cause some major slow downs, especially on the M-A-N-Y steps up and down to the trains. From there, we walked to Millennium Park and saw the water walls, amphitheater and bean statue. We made it back in time for dinner and I really enjoyed some one-on-one time with a couple of the kids throughout the day.
(Even later) Amazing talk by Brenda Matthews, poet and Christian speaker! Good reflections on our day with small group, then all of First Pres - followed by some lively games of King Mao and Spoons in the Fellowship Hall - I'm ready for lights out!
6/20 a.m. Clean up this morning - much easier than p.m. clean up the other night! I'm not really looking forward to today. We're going to Cornerstone Family Shelter. I am so much more comfortable working behind the scenes than with people. I don't interact well with people I know, much less ones I don't know and won't ever see again. I enjoy helping and serving, but don't want to get involved. I'm thinking today will really stretch my comfort zone.
(Later) That went much better than I anticipated. We ended up sorting clothing donations, then visiting/sitting with the guests at the shelter while we and they ate lunch. I sat with a 56-year old Army veteran. He was very nice and we talked the whole time. He went to basic at Fort Jackson in South Carolina - said he loved it - so much warmer than west side Chicago where he grew up and lives now. After lunch, we went back to sorting clothes until one of the collection trucks showed up. The kids helped unload the donations off the truck and we pretty much left after that. Tonight, we're heading out for Chicago Pizza and the Navy Pier. Late night tonight!
6/21 I overdid it yesterday. Thankful for K getting me a cab to Navy Pier after Pizza! I didn't sleep well last night - kept waking up and finally gave up about 5:30 and took a shower. Very reviving, although I'm sitting here now sweating already. Today, we are heading to Reba Place, about 2 hours away. I think most of our large group has been there - sounds like largely clean up, but some have distributed fliers door-to-door in the neighborhood. Yesterday's group ate lunch by Lake Michigan and went swimming. We're taking a change of clothes (just shirt for me - you couldn't have paid me to bring a bathing suit) and will head straight to the Point afterwards for our final supper and group reflection. It's been a good week, but honestly one of the hardest I've ever had. I'm looking forward to heading home, but will be sorry to see it end, too. I'm having second thoughts about tomorrow afternoon/evening at the aquarium and baseball game. I'll have to wait and see how today goes. "Breathe in, breathe out, move on".
(Later) Reba Place turned out to be my favorite place! We started out rather disorganized, but our host, Dan finally got there and he has such a passion for the community. I actually ended up sitting the A/C reading while the team taped fliers to doors in the neighborhood about a pizza party in the park that night. The Church is Mennonite and works hard for peace and reconciliation in the community. After lunch, they did a little yard work, then we all walked to the park and played basketball, handing out drinks and Popsicles to the kids who were there. After that, we had a LONG train, train, bus ride to Promotory Point Park, where we met the entire DOOR group for pizza and a closing reflection. Beautiful spot on Lake Michigan.
6/22 This morning we are cleaning up , saying goodbye to the other three Churches here and heading out to the Shedd Aquarium, then the White Sox game this evening.
(Later) it turns out 2 of the other 3 groups are also staying tonight. Our group was really hoping to spread out a little, I think.
(Even later) Our team did a great job on the bathrooms with only a little grumbling LOL. We're slowly gathering in the Sanctuary now for a final whole group reflection. After that, we're heading out for the day. K braided my hair for me! I hate we had to turn in our water bottles today. I bought DOOR tee shirts for J & D - have to get something for MB and A! I think we're shopping at some point today. In hindsight, I really wish we could have had more Worship and fellowship time with the other groups. The whole crew was so large that everyone pretty much stuck to their own Church groups on sites. It would've been nice to get to know the others' better, but there were just too many. It would've been nice to have more singing and Worship together, too, but the days were so packed with activity (and travel), there just wasn't time. The 2 sessions we did have were wonderful and reminded me of NC Presbyterian Pilgrimage.
(Later) no Shedd (3 hour wait), got shirts for A & MB, long day of waiting - good game.
6/24 Wow - I was absolutely worn out when we got back Friday night. Yesterday, we were up at 6 a.m., had the vehicles packed and were on the road close to 6:30. It was a really long day of travel, ending up back at the Church at 10 p.m. almost on the dot. All in all, it was a pretty smooth trip, though. We stopped a couple more times than we would've liked, but for being on a van with 9-10 other people ALL DAY LONG, it went really well. As noted earlier, I was so glad to get home, but a little sad that it was all over. The Youth did a great job this morning of sharing part of our stories in the two Worship services - I will miss them this Summer. Chicago was a great initiation to Mission trips!
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
I forgot to blog last week! We had Bavarian Pork Chops, from a recipe on the pork chop package at Walmart. I can't even remember now what we had with them LOL. I know we had steamed broccoli, cauliflower and carrots but no clue what else.
Tonight, we had Pork Chops again, with Shake 'n Bake this time. (That's my husband's favorite.) They were paired with Twice Baked Potatoes and a green bean casserole. Everything was pretty good, if simple. I think I'm about at the point where I've tried everything I really wanted to try when we first started our weekly suppers, so I've lowered my standards a little. For the summer, we may try some hearty salads, though.
Next week, I'll be in Chicago - YAY!!! I'll be trying new things, but my peeps here will just have to do without me. We'll pick back up on the 25th.
Till then,
L
Tonight, we had Pork Chops again, with Shake 'n Bake this time. (That's my husband's favorite.) They were paired with Twice Baked Potatoes and a green bean casserole. Everything was pretty good, if simple. I think I'm about at the point where I've tried everything I really wanted to try when we first started our weekly suppers, so I've lowered my standards a little. For the summer, we may try some hearty salads, though.
Next week, I'll be in Chicago - YAY!!! I'll be trying new things, but my peeps here will just have to do without me. We'll pick back up on the 25th.
Till then,
L
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Tonight, we hit the Old Dominion Cookbook yet again. Mexican Meatloaf - ground beef with taco seasoning, oatmeal & egg, filled with cream cheese and topped with salsa - was accompanied by Mac & Cheese with a variety of cheeses and sour cream. Both were really good! The Meatloaf called for optional jalapenos, which I opted NOT to use this time. It was good without 'em and we didn't miss the extra 'kick'.
We also had French bread and Arbor Mist Exotic Fruits wine. I guess we really mixed it up with the ethnicity tonight, too! American, French and Mexican. I didn't realize that until I started writing. LOL
I hope everyone had a nice Memorial Day. This year had a more Patriotic feel than I've noticed in years past. There were so many mentions of gratitude and American pride on Facebook and Twitter - and even on TV stations. It was great to see so much, especially with my son leaving in a couple of months for the Marine Corps. I had a rather emotional weekend! We had a guest speaker in Sunday School, too - a career Army commander who talked about 'Christianity in the Military'. Very moving hour - and quite a few tears on my part.
I know four young men now who are serving - Logan in the Air Force in Minot, ND; Van in the Army in Korea; John in Navy boot camp in Chicago and Charlie who left today for Marine basic training in Parris Island. Please keep them, their families and all who are serving, have served and are getting ready to serve in your prayers.
Til next time,
L
We also had French bread and Arbor Mist Exotic Fruits wine. I guess we really mixed it up with the ethnicity tonight, too! American, French and Mexican. I didn't realize that until I started writing. LOL
I hope everyone had a nice Memorial Day. This year had a more Patriotic feel than I've noticed in years past. There were so many mentions of gratitude and American pride on Facebook and Twitter - and even on TV stations. It was great to see so much, especially with my son leaving in a couple of months for the Marine Corps. I had a rather emotional weekend! We had a guest speaker in Sunday School, too - a career Army commander who talked about 'Christianity in the Military'. Very moving hour - and quite a few tears on my part.
I know four young men now who are serving - Logan in the Air Force in Minot, ND; Van in the Army in Korea; John in Navy boot camp in Chicago and Charlie who left today for Marine basic training in Parris Island. Please keep them, their families and all who are serving, have served and are getting ready to serve in your prayers.
Til next time,
L
Monday, May 14, 2012
We're back! It's been a long six or so weeks - love the money, but it sure wears me out!
Tonight we had started off with Strawberry Spinach Salad - fresh strawberries, purple onion, feta cheese, walnuts (some of us) and spinach with a balsamic vinagrette dressing. We weren't sure how those flavors would combine, but it was really good! The main dish was Texas Casserole from The Old Dominion Cookbook (as was the salad). Ground beef in a tomato/garlic sauce, layered with a cream cheese/sour cream/green onion mixture and egg noodles, topped with cheddar cheese and baked. It was really good, too - but seemed to be missing something. Chili powdered was suggested, or something else to give it a little kick. We also had Garlic Texas Toast.
Now I'm craving Strawberry Shortcake. We may just end up with dessert next week. Other than that, I'm open to suggestions.
Til next time!
L
Tonight we had started off with Strawberry Spinach Salad - fresh strawberries, purple onion, feta cheese, walnuts (some of us) and spinach with a balsamic vinagrette dressing. We weren't sure how those flavors would combine, but it was really good! The main dish was Texas Casserole from The Old Dominion Cookbook (as was the salad). Ground beef in a tomato/garlic sauce, layered with a cream cheese/sour cream/green onion mixture and egg noodles, topped with cheddar cheese and baked. It was really good, too - but seemed to be missing something. Chili powdered was suggested, or something else to give it a little kick. We also had Garlic Texas Toast.
Now I'm craving Strawberry Shortcake. We may just end up with dessert next week. Other than that, I'm open to suggestions.
Til next time!
L
Monday, March 26, 2012
Happy Monday! I can't believe it's the last week of March already. My annual Springtime second job starts tomorrow and runs through mid-May, so tonight was our last supper for awhile.
We had grilled London Broil with Sweet Smoky rub, green bean casserole, salad, grilled Texas Garlic Toast (yum!) and, in case we ran out of beef, a couple of marinated pork roasts from the freezer. Everything was really good! I was planning to bake/broil the Texas Toast and saw grilling directions on the box. Since we had the grill going, anyway, we decided to give it a try. It really added some extra flavor. I'm looking forward to using the grill more as days are getting warmer. :-) We may just have to have a Supper Club cookout or two over the weekend during the next six weeks or so. I can smell the burgers already!
Now, everyone is gone, the dishwasher is running and I'm about ready for bed.
I love the extra money from my second job, but it really wears me out. I am so fortunate to have a family who pitches in to help while I'm basically gone for six weeks, and a job with enough flexibility to let me do it, also.
Grace and peace to you until next time!
L
We had grilled London Broil with Sweet Smoky rub, green bean casserole, salad, grilled Texas Garlic Toast (yum!) and, in case we ran out of beef, a couple of marinated pork roasts from the freezer. Everything was really good! I was planning to bake/broil the Texas Toast and saw grilling directions on the box. Since we had the grill going, anyway, we decided to give it a try. It really added some extra flavor. I'm looking forward to using the grill more as days are getting warmer. :-) We may just have to have a Supper Club cookout or two over the weekend during the next six weeks or so. I can smell the burgers already!
Now, everyone is gone, the dishwasher is running and I'm about ready for bed.
I love the extra money from my second job, but it really wears me out. I am so fortunate to have a family who pitches in to help while I'm basically gone for six weeks, and a job with enough flexibility to let me do it, also.
Grace and peace to you until next time!
L
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Happy Late Saint Patrick's Day! Tonight we had corned beef and Baked Spinach Risotto - and had NO leftovers! Actually, we didn't even wait for everyone to get here - we dug on in as soon as it was ready. I've had trouble with corned beef in the past being rather chewy, so I researched it online and found a good recipe. Soak the brisket in water for 30 minutes, drain well, put in a crockpot or slow cooker and pour a thawed container of orange juice concentrate overall. Cook on LOW for 10-12 hours. It was so tender!
The Baked Spinach Risotto was really good, too. It had fresh spinach, sauteed onions, green pepper, garlic, rice, chicken broth, Parmesan cheese and a dash of hot sauce. In hindsight, it would've been really good with mushrooms, too. I may just have to try it again.
Next week will be our last for a bit. (Oops! I forgot to tell everyone, too!) My annual Spring part-time job is starting on April 3rd and will last through the first of May. I'm going to have to come up with something amazing next week to carry us through a month hiatus. Someone was mentioning green bean casserole the other day - I've never tried to make it. I wouldn't call it 'amazing', but maybe I can find something amazing to go with it.
Til next time,
L
The Baked Spinach Risotto was really good, too. It had fresh spinach, sauteed onions, green pepper, garlic, rice, chicken broth, Parmesan cheese and a dash of hot sauce. In hindsight, it would've been really good with mushrooms, too. I may just have to try it again.
Next week will be our last for a bit. (Oops! I forgot to tell everyone, too!) My annual Spring part-time job is starting on April 3rd and will last through the first of May. I'm going to have to come up with something amazing next week to carry us through a month hiatus. Someone was mentioning green bean casserole the other day - I've never tried to make it. I wouldn't call it 'amazing', but maybe I can find something amazing to go with it.
Til next time,
L
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Happy Tuesday! I would start in on the whole stupid time change thing, but I'm sure no one wants to hear it. :-)
We had a smaller crowd tonight - just four. (As usual, we're sending leftovers to an unnamed fast food restaurant for some who are working. Shh!) From the OD Cookbook (STILL plenty left!! hint, hint): Bloody Mary Chicken and Fettucine Alfredo. Unfortunately, I wasn't thinking that the meat package I bought a few weeks ago at Gallimore's had bone-in chicken breasts. I always use boneless, skinless. Still, the chicken was pretty good, although I do want to try it again with filets. Marinate the chicken in Bloody Mary mix (I used Bold & Spicy) for at least 30 minutes (I think overnight would be better, maybe), then roll them in a mixture of crushed corn flakes and spices. Oregano, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, onion salt, chili powder. Place in a greased pan and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour. Since I had bone-in, I went for an hour. They were very juicy and had good flavor, but we're just not used to fighting those bones.
The fettucine was very good, although someone thought the noodles were undercooked. (They were perfectly al dente!) Real butter, heavy cream, parmesan cheese, a little salt, pepper and parsley. No calories! HAHAHA.
We really needed something green, but it was an afterthought and everything else was ready. A nice salad with field greens and vinagrette would have been really nice.
After tonight, we're moving our supper club to Wednesday to accomodate several people who have things they'd like to or need to do on Tuesdays.
As far as next week, I'm thinking Baked Spinach Risotto and.....
Til next time!
L
We had a smaller crowd tonight - just four. (As usual, we're sending leftovers to an unnamed fast food restaurant for some who are working. Shh!) From the OD Cookbook (STILL plenty left!! hint, hint): Bloody Mary Chicken and Fettucine Alfredo. Unfortunately, I wasn't thinking that the meat package I bought a few weeks ago at Gallimore's had bone-in chicken breasts. I always use boneless, skinless. Still, the chicken was pretty good, although I do want to try it again with filets. Marinate the chicken in Bloody Mary mix (I used Bold & Spicy) for at least 30 minutes (I think overnight would be better, maybe), then roll them in a mixture of crushed corn flakes and spices. Oregano, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, onion salt, chili powder. Place in a greased pan and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour. Since I had bone-in, I went for an hour. They were very juicy and had good flavor, but we're just not used to fighting those bones.
The fettucine was very good, although someone thought the noodles were undercooked. (They were perfectly al dente!) Real butter, heavy cream, parmesan cheese, a little salt, pepper and parsley. No calories! HAHAHA.
We really needed something green, but it was an afterthought and everything else was ready. A nice salad with field greens and vinagrette would have been really nice.
After tonight, we're moving our supper club to Wednesday to accomodate several people who have things they'd like to or need to do on Tuesdays.
As far as next week, I'm thinking Baked Spinach Risotto and.....
Til next time!
L
Monday, March 5, 2012
Happy March! Supper Club was back on Monday this week. I was thinking last week about various different things, and never did make up my mind, so when I was asked if we could do it tonight, I just made a snap decision on meatloaf (hard to go wrong, there), Macaroni & Cheese (with pepper-jack and cheddar - YUM!) and homemade biscuits (another new recipe). I used a mac & cheese recipe from the Old Dominion Cookbook (still plenty available!) - so good! It had a mixture of mild & sharp cheddar, pepper jack, and had buttered cracker crumbs on top. So healthy LOL!
I have never been able to make good biscuits - I've tried so many times! They usually end up tasting like baked flour. The last time I tried (a week or two ago?), they were really good, but had to rise for an hour and a half. They didn't really rise, even though I gave them enough time, but had good flavor. Unfortunately, an hour and a half is a long time to wait when you don't get home until 5:30 or so. The recipe I tried tonight only had to rise 30 minutes - they still didn't rise very much, but were also pretty good! I think this one is a keeper. Now, if my family only liked biscuits, I'd have it made. I could be such a wonderful cook if I was able to experiment and try new and savory things every day. Sigh.
In the meantime, I am very grateful to my Tuesday (or Monday) night buddies who let me play and almost always eat whatever I fix! I enjoy the fellowship, the food, the research and the new ideas. I'm hoping to try even more new stuff in the weeks to come - with maybe a few old standards or really, really good repeats thrown in there somewhere.
Til next time,
L
I have never been able to make good biscuits - I've tried so many times! They usually end up tasting like baked flour. The last time I tried (a week or two ago?), they were really good, but had to rise for an hour and a half. They didn't really rise, even though I gave them enough time, but had good flavor. Unfortunately, an hour and a half is a long time to wait when you don't get home until 5:30 or so. The recipe I tried tonight only had to rise 30 minutes - they still didn't rise very much, but were also pretty good! I think this one is a keeper. Now, if my family only liked biscuits, I'd have it made. I could be such a wonderful cook if I was able to experiment and try new and savory things every day. Sigh.
In the meantime, I am very grateful to my Tuesday (or Monday) night buddies who let me play and almost always eat whatever I fix! I enjoy the fellowship, the food, the research and the new ideas. I'm hoping to try even more new stuff in the weeks to come - with maybe a few old standards or really, really good repeats thrown in there somewhere.
Til next time,
L
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Happy Tuesday! It's been a good day, after an iffy start. I was in very bad need of an attitude adjustment this morning and asked my Prayer Group at work to pray for me. What an awesome God we have!
Supper was good. We were missing a couple from the regular crowd, but we talked about them, so it was all good. LOL. We killed it too, after sending a plate (well, bowl, actually) to the favorite daughter.
Tonight was Rigatoni with Sun-dried Tomatoes and Tuna. I know - it doesn't sound too exciting to some (okay, most), but I thought it was really good! It called for red pepper flakes, which I didn't have, so I subbed Cheyenne Pepper. It had a nice little kick to it, but not too much. The recipe also called for a wedge of lemon to squeeze over all. I thought that was a little odd, but it made all the difference. Responses ranged from 'okay', to 'well, the pasta is good'. I thought it was pretty darn good myself. French bread and a Cheesecake sampler balanced it all. Yum! (I passed on the cheesecake - yay, me!)
The dog really wanted to try it, but I thought the Cheyenne might be a little much.
Next week, I'm contemplating a repeat of the Roasted Salmon Stuffed with Spinach and Feta, Lamb Chops (that's GOING TO HAPPEN one of these days) or Sweet Potato & Carmelized Onion Stuffed Shells. I might just have to buy a couple more cookbooks, too...I need fresh ideas. (There are still plenty of "Old Dominion Cooks for the Salvation Army" cookbooks left, too - only $10! :-)) I'd really like to try more vegetarian dishes in coming weeks, too.
Til next time,
L
Supper was good. We were missing a couple from the regular crowd, but we talked about them, so it was all good. LOL. We killed it too, after sending a plate (well, bowl, actually) to the favorite daughter.
Tonight was Rigatoni with Sun-dried Tomatoes and Tuna. I know - it doesn't sound too exciting to some (okay, most), but I thought it was really good! It called for red pepper flakes, which I didn't have, so I subbed Cheyenne Pepper. It had a nice little kick to it, but not too much. The recipe also called for a wedge of lemon to squeeze over all. I thought that was a little odd, but it made all the difference. Responses ranged from 'okay', to 'well, the pasta is good'. I thought it was pretty darn good myself. French bread and a Cheesecake sampler balanced it all. Yum! (I passed on the cheesecake - yay, me!)
The dog really wanted to try it, but I thought the Cheyenne might be a little much.
Next week, I'm contemplating a repeat of the Roasted Salmon Stuffed with Spinach and Feta, Lamb Chops (that's GOING TO HAPPEN one of these days) or Sweet Potato & Carmelized Onion Stuffed Shells. I might just have to buy a couple more cookbooks, too...I need fresh ideas. (There are still plenty of "Old Dominion Cooks for the Salvation Army" cookbooks left, too - only $10! :-)) I'd really like to try more vegetarian dishes in coming weeks, too.
Til next time,
L
Sunday, February 26, 2012
I just got back from an incredible weekend in Blowing Rock/Boone with the Youth Group. Beautiful scenery, fun and wonderful people, and several new experiences, all thrown into 72 hours. What could be better?
I wish I'd had a better view of the skiers and snowboarders, but I enjoyed hanging out in the Lodge and babysitting the snacks. People came and went throughout the day (everyone hung out at lunch) and I had a book for the quiet times. For supper (you knew I had to mention food at some point), we went to the Mellow Mushroom. I'd heard of it, but never been to one. Fantastic pizza and good atmosphere! I can't wait to try the one in Greensboro, but I'll have to wait until I have someone to go with me. I split a large Kosmic Karma with three others, and we still have enough left over for breakfast and lunch today. This one had spinach, feta cheese, sun-dried tomatoes and tomato over pesto, then sprinkled with Parmesan cheese. Yum! I could SO EASILY be vegetarian.
I put off planning Tuesday night since I wasn't going to the grocery store this weekend (thanks to my wonderful son who went for me). I was thinking maybe lamb chops (never made them, don't know off hand where to get them) or something else I can't think of at the moment, but never fear! I'll come up with something, even if I beg off tired and order take out Chinese. Come to think of it, I've never cooked much Chinese, so that's a thought, too. I'll hold that for a future get-together, I think.
Anyway - thanks to the High School Youth for letting me tag along! Thanks to our DCE for putting up with me, and thanks to you for reading my random thoughts. (A special thanks to the wonderful couple who hosted us in their beautiful home.)
Til next time,
L
I wish I'd had a better view of the skiers and snowboarders, but I enjoyed hanging out in the Lodge and babysitting the snacks. People came and went throughout the day (everyone hung out at lunch) and I had a book for the quiet times. For supper (you knew I had to mention food at some point), we went to the Mellow Mushroom. I'd heard of it, but never been to one. Fantastic pizza and good atmosphere! I can't wait to try the one in Greensboro, but I'll have to wait until I have someone to go with me. I split a large Kosmic Karma with three others, and we still have enough left over for breakfast and lunch today. This one had spinach, feta cheese, sun-dried tomatoes and tomato over pesto, then sprinkled with Parmesan cheese. Yum! I could SO EASILY be vegetarian.
I put off planning Tuesday night since I wasn't going to the grocery store this weekend (thanks to my wonderful son who went for me). I was thinking maybe lamb chops (never made them, don't know off hand where to get them) or something else I can't think of at the moment, but never fear! I'll come up with something, even if I beg off tired and order take out Chinese. Come to think of it, I've never cooked much Chinese, so that's a thought, too. I'll hold that for a future get-together, I think.
Anyway - thanks to the High School Youth for letting me tag along! Thanks to our DCE for putting up with me, and thanks to you for reading my random thoughts. (A special thanks to the wonderful couple who hosted us in their beautiful home.)
Til next time,
L
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Tonight was so nice! We ate (more later), then we listened to my niece pick out a few songs on the piano and looked through some old photo albums and school yearbooks. Nostalgia! It was good to just visit and revisit.
I wasn't so sure about our supper tonight. I found a great sounding recipe online for Spinach Quiche and decided to try it. It came together pretty well, but it wouldn't all fit in the crust, even though I used the measurements indicated. All in all, though, it was FABULOUS! It had spinach (of course), mushrooms, sauted onions and garlic, Garlic & Herb feta cheese, cheddar cheese, eggs, milk and salt & pepper all in a prepared deep-dish crust. I only wish I'd made two. This one is definitely a keeper!
To go with the quiche, we had Angel Biscuits from a celebrity cookbook I bought years ago. This was credited to Kitty Wells. They didn't quite rise like I expected, but had wonderful flavor. My previous attempts at biscuits just haven't panned out (pun intended), but these were really good.
I think I'm going to hit the Old Dominion Cookbook for next week. I've also been tossing around the thought of lamb chops - never cooked them, rarely eaten them and not sure where to find them, but it's a thought.
Tomorrow starts the Season of Lent - Ash Wednesday. I hope to be more pensive and God-centered in the next few weeks leading up to Easter.
Til next week,
L
I wasn't so sure about our supper tonight. I found a great sounding recipe online for Spinach Quiche and decided to try it. It came together pretty well, but it wouldn't all fit in the crust, even though I used the measurements indicated. All in all, though, it was FABULOUS! It had spinach (of course), mushrooms, sauted onions and garlic, Garlic & Herb feta cheese, cheddar cheese, eggs, milk and salt & pepper all in a prepared deep-dish crust. I only wish I'd made two. This one is definitely a keeper!
To go with the quiche, we had Angel Biscuits from a celebrity cookbook I bought years ago. This was credited to Kitty Wells. They didn't quite rise like I expected, but had wonderful flavor. My previous attempts at biscuits just haven't panned out (pun intended), but these were really good.
I think I'm going to hit the Old Dominion Cookbook for next week. I've also been tossing around the thought of lamb chops - never cooked them, rarely eaten them and not sure where to find them, but it's a thought.
Tomorrow starts the Season of Lent - Ash Wednesday. I hope to be more pensive and God-centered in the next few weeks leading up to Easter.
Til next week,
L
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
No supper tonight! We got our wires crossed this week. We'd originally planned on yesterday, but something came up, so I thought we moved it to today, but other's had Valentine plans. Anyway, it's all good - I ended up with an evening all to myself and a can of clam chowder LOL.
I hope everyone has a very happy Valentine's Day. Don't forget that God's is the greatest love of all.
Til next week (Spinach Quiche and Angel Biscuits),
L
I hope everyone has a very happy Valentine's Day. Don't forget that God's is the greatest love of all.
Til next week (Spinach Quiche and Angel Biscuits),
L
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
February! I want snow!
Tonight we pretended it was cold outside and had Sausage and Corn Chowder with homemade cornbread. The chowder was wonderful! Once again, though, the cornbread was okay, but just wasn't 'right' - and this was a different recipe. Maybe it's just me. Oh, well...if at first you don't succeed...
Thanks to Miss Suzette for the chowder recipe - I got it from the First Presbyterian Cookbook (still available if anyone would like a copy - as is the Old Dominion Cooks for the Salvation Army one).
Last Saturday, we ate at Rodi in Gastonia, NC - Shrimp and Grits! I LOVE me some Shrimp and Grits and am glad to see it available at more and more places lately. We went down for the band, (Detour) actually - an old friend from middle school. We were really impressed with their talent and energy - and it's so much better when the musicians are having fun! I've seen a few sessions with other bands where it was so obviously just a job. These guys looked like they were having a ball and I'm so glad we got to hang out and see them for a bit. We're hoping to catch them again sometime, hopefully closer to home.
If I actually thought anyone of the Supper Club members would TOUCH Shrimp and Grits, I'd try it myself, but alas, I think I'm on my own there. (They don't know what they're missing). I would like to try my hand at more seafood, but with this crew, nothing too 'fishy'. They aren't big on seafood. I'm so tempted to have that Spinach Stuffed Salmon again, except for our 'rule' of no repeats. Maybe some baked or broiled fish of some kind, though...I had a fabulous Grilled Whitefish Sub at Sumela's on North Main Street last week. It was their special for the day, but I told them it needed to make it's way to the regular menu.
I guess we'll just have to wait and see what pops up next week - Monday this time.
Until then,
Happy Birthday to my favorite son, and Happy Valentine's Day next Tuesday! The world needs more love.
L
Tonight we pretended it was cold outside and had Sausage and Corn Chowder with homemade cornbread. The chowder was wonderful! Once again, though, the cornbread was okay, but just wasn't 'right' - and this was a different recipe. Maybe it's just me. Oh, well...if at first you don't succeed...
Thanks to Miss Suzette for the chowder recipe - I got it from the First Presbyterian Cookbook (still available if anyone would like a copy - as is the Old Dominion Cooks for the Salvation Army one).
Last Saturday, we ate at Rodi in Gastonia, NC - Shrimp and Grits! I LOVE me some Shrimp and Grits and am glad to see it available at more and more places lately. We went down for the band, (Detour) actually - an old friend from middle school. We were really impressed with their talent and energy - and it's so much better when the musicians are having fun! I've seen a few sessions with other bands where it was so obviously just a job. These guys looked like they were having a ball and I'm so glad we got to hang out and see them for a bit. We're hoping to catch them again sometime, hopefully closer to home.
If I actually thought anyone of the Supper Club members would TOUCH Shrimp and Grits, I'd try it myself, but alas, I think I'm on my own there. (They don't know what they're missing). I would like to try my hand at more seafood, but with this crew, nothing too 'fishy'. They aren't big on seafood. I'm so tempted to have that Spinach Stuffed Salmon again, except for our 'rule' of no repeats. Maybe some baked or broiled fish of some kind, though...I had a fabulous Grilled Whitefish Sub at Sumela's on North Main Street last week. It was their special for the day, but I told them it needed to make it's way to the regular menu.
I guess we'll just have to wait and see what pops up next week - Monday this time.
Until then,
Happy Birthday to my favorite son, and Happy Valentine's Day next Tuesday! The world needs more love.
L
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Happy Tuesday! I simply cannot believe tomorrow is February. It seems like New Year's was just the other day. I'm thinking it's time for a Munchies Night - maybe one of these evenings soon.
Tonight, we had Chicken & Broccoli Casserole, with a gruyere/parmesan white sauce and egg noodles. It was pretty good, but not so much so that I plan to keep the recipe. At $15 per pound, the gruyere was rather expensive, too. Very good, but way too expensive for every day and pushing it for Supper Club. We are all about having whole, from scratch foods, which tend to run a little high, anyway, but that's definitely pushing the upper limit. (We also had corn on the cob, dinner rolls and chocolate cake.)
I LOVE corn on the cob - fresh, frozen; it doesn't matter. (My family, however, does not.) This was Birdseye, in the freezer section (okay, okay, not exactly 'from scratch', but I'm not into growing my own). Keeping in mind that frozen foods are often even more nutritious than fresh, they were really good!
I am really running out of ideas for our Suppers. Next week is my son's birthday week, so I'm letting him decide. That's one. Now what about after that? I think I've tried everything I was really, really wanting to try - stuffed salmon, shrimp scampi, a little Nediterranean, a little Italian, a little Mexican, a little good old American... I need to find some time to pore over my cookbook collection. Then again, we can always go for repeats on some of our favorites! We'll just have to wait and see.
I would like to try some good soups. My familiy isn't big on soups, but the whole idea is to try new things and enjoy some good fellowship. Maybe I'll actually hit on something they like.
You know, I think I have discovered that our biggest problem is that I am so into food (unfortunately) and they are NOT. I don't think I've ever had more than an "it's okay" from my husband. He's just not into food and never has been - and that's okay. I wish I was more like him in that respect.
I defintely need to get back on track with the weight loss, Supper Club or not. I actually made it to the gym last week! I thought I was starting slow, but ended up at the doctor with a very irritated sciatic nerve. It's much, much better today and I'm hoping to get back to the gym next week. My idea of starting back slow was 20 minutes on the elliptical at a slower pace; my doctor's is 3 minutes, adding a minute a week and building up slowly. I'm thinking it's hardly worth the drive to do 3 minutes, but I will do it. I need to get back to going 2-3 times a week instead of eating out every day - that would save on health and budget, and Heaven knows, both need help!
So, looking down the road, we're going to try some soups, some salads, more veggies, leaner meats and more fish.
Thank you, God, for the variety You have given us. Please help us make better choices. Amen.
Till next time, happy HEALTHY eating!
L
Tonight, we had Chicken & Broccoli Casserole, with a gruyere/parmesan white sauce and egg noodles. It was pretty good, but not so much so that I plan to keep the recipe. At $15 per pound, the gruyere was rather expensive, too. Very good, but way too expensive for every day and pushing it for Supper Club. We are all about having whole, from scratch foods, which tend to run a little high, anyway, but that's definitely pushing the upper limit. (We also had corn on the cob, dinner rolls and chocolate cake.)
I LOVE corn on the cob - fresh, frozen; it doesn't matter. (My family, however, does not.) This was Birdseye, in the freezer section (okay, okay, not exactly 'from scratch', but I'm not into growing my own). Keeping in mind that frozen foods are often even more nutritious than fresh, they were really good!
I am really running out of ideas for our Suppers. Next week is my son's birthday week, so I'm letting him decide. That's one. Now what about after that? I think I've tried everything I was really, really wanting to try - stuffed salmon, shrimp scampi, a little Nediterranean, a little Italian, a little Mexican, a little good old American... I need to find some time to pore over my cookbook collection. Then again, we can always go for repeats on some of our favorites! We'll just have to wait and see.
I would like to try some good soups. My familiy isn't big on soups, but the whole idea is to try new things and enjoy some good fellowship. Maybe I'll actually hit on something they like.
You know, I think I have discovered that our biggest problem is that I am so into food (unfortunately) and they are NOT. I don't think I've ever had more than an "it's okay" from my husband. He's just not into food and never has been - and that's okay. I wish I was more like him in that respect.
I defintely need to get back on track with the weight loss, Supper Club or not. I actually made it to the gym last week! I thought I was starting slow, but ended up at the doctor with a very irritated sciatic nerve. It's much, much better today and I'm hoping to get back to the gym next week. My idea of starting back slow was 20 minutes on the elliptical at a slower pace; my doctor's is 3 minutes, adding a minute a week and building up slowly. I'm thinking it's hardly worth the drive to do 3 minutes, but I will do it. I need to get back to going 2-3 times a week instead of eating out every day - that would save on health and budget, and Heaven knows, both need help!
So, looking down the road, we're going to try some soups, some salads, more veggies, leaner meats and more fish.
Thank you, God, for the variety You have given us. Please help us make better choices. Amen.
Till next time, happy HEALTHY eating!
L
Monday, January 23, 2012
Several years ago, I bought a "Country Personalities" cookbook. It was neat looking through it the other day - quite a few of the people who submitted recipes I haven't heard of in years! They were very popular back in the day, though, and of course, there are a few 'one hit wonders'.
Tonight, we had Larry Gatlin's Texas Chili - ground round with Rotel tomatoes w/chilis, onion, garlic, tomato paste, seasonings. It was really good - I used mild Rotel and chili seasoning, so it had a little kick, but not too bad. We shredded cheese on top, too. Homemade cole slaw and cornbread finished out the menu. The cornbread was okay, but not nearly as good as I remember when someone else made it! I'll have to double check the recipe.
I'm running out of things I been wanting to try off the top of my head here lately. I think I'll spend part of the weekend poring through some old cookbooks, looking for fresh ideas.
Til next time,
L
Tonight, we had Larry Gatlin's Texas Chili - ground round with Rotel tomatoes w/chilis, onion, garlic, tomato paste, seasonings. It was really good - I used mild Rotel and chili seasoning, so it had a little kick, but not too bad. We shredded cheese on top, too. Homemade cole slaw and cornbread finished out the menu. The cornbread was okay, but not nearly as good as I remember when someone else made it! I'll have to double check the recipe.
I'm running out of things I been wanting to try off the top of my head here lately. I think I'll spend part of the weekend poring through some old cookbooks, looking for fresh ideas.
Til next time,
L
Monday, January 16, 2012
Tonight, Jeff made Meat Pies for us: ground beef, spaghetti sauce, mushrooms, potatoes and cheese in a crescent-roll shell. They were really good! I had agreed to provide a veggie and/or dessert but when it came time, I didn't have a thing on hand. We thought about trying individual 5-minute Coffee Mug chocolate cakes, but none of us were hungry. Maybe next time.
On Saturday, we tried another Deen recipe - Pimento Mac 'n Cheese. It was really good! Probably not so healthy, but really good nonetheless. It went perfectly with steamed cabbage, carrots and kielbase sausage.
Next week, Chili and Cornbread. I'm thinking about a white chili, but we'll see what I can find. For now, though, I'm going to take my book, turn on the electric blanket and go to bed.
Til next time!
L
On Saturday, we tried another Deen recipe - Pimento Mac 'n Cheese. It was really good! Probably not so healthy, but really good nonetheless. It went perfectly with steamed cabbage, carrots and kielbase sausage.
Next week, Chili and Cornbread. I'm thinking about a white chili, but we'll see what I can find. For now, though, I'm going to take my book, turn on the electric blanket and go to bed.
Til next time!
L
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
God Bless Paula Deen. First off, we had Southwest Pasta Salad from a home spun cookbook - tri-colored pasta, whole kernal corn, black beans, salsa, sour cream, cumin, garlic, chopped red pepper. It was really good! The recipe called for putting the dressinged (is that a word?) pasta on a platter and layering the vegetables. Since all of us don't like all the veggies, I had everything staged so people could layer their own with whatever they chose. There was even a little leftover, which will go to work tomorrow for Salad Day.
For dessert (our First dessert!), I made Paula Deen's Chocolate-Pecan Cobblerm served warm with vanilla ice cream. Oh. My. Gosh. Sinful, just simply sinful. Enough said.
Next week, Jeff and Ginger are making Meat Pie. I'll come up with a veggie of some sort - maybe a casserole? Hummmm. I'll have to think on it. I do know we're going to dessert it more often. :-)
I haven't done so well with my resolutions. I'm planning to hit the gym tomorrow, though. We'll see if it happens.
Till next time!
L
For dessert (our First dessert!), I made Paula Deen's Chocolate-Pecan Cobblerm served warm with vanilla ice cream. Oh. My. Gosh. Sinful, just simply sinful. Enough said.
Next week, Jeff and Ginger are making Meat Pie. I'll come up with a veggie of some sort - maybe a casserole? Hummmm. I'll have to think on it. I do know we're going to dessert it more often. :-)
I haven't done so well with my resolutions. I'm planning to hit the gym tomorrow, though. We'll see if it happens.
Till next time!
L
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
This month's issue of "Guideposts" magazine has an article by author Debbie Macomber. Each year, she chooses one word to concentrate on for the year. Or rather, a word picks her - she just has to keep her eyes and ears open while deciding. I decided to follow her lead and picked "hunger" as my word for 2012. So much of who I am deals with hunger - the overeating, the hunger for knowledge, for love, for serenity, for solitude, for peace. Debbie has chosen such words as faith, trust, and even hunger (it was her first, too, back in the 1990s somewhere, I think). I am going to try to listen: to my body, my thoughts, my feelings, and try to discern just what it is I am hungry for at that moment. I know I often eat when it's the last thing I really want or need. Maybe I can change that. I especially need to work on feelings - I spend so much time and energy trying not to feel anything.
I once read a book by Geneen Roth titled "When Food is Love". It took so many attempts before I was able to read it all. I'd get into the first chapter or two and just start sobbing. It would be months before I could pick it up again, then I'd start over. For two whole years after I was finally able to read it through, I was working so hard on being healthier, until yet another disillusionment came along. Maybe this is a way I can get back on track and stay there.
So, in 2012: I hunger for strength, discernment, good food within healthy limits (both quality and quantity), knowledge of new things, the ability to recognize & appreciate special moments, a stronger (and smaller) body, and a closer relationship with God. Not necessarily in that order, though. :-)
Til next time,
L
I once read a book by Geneen Roth titled "When Food is Love". It took so many attempts before I was able to read it all. I'd get into the first chapter or two and just start sobbing. It would be months before I could pick it up again, then I'd start over. For two whole years after I was finally able to read it through, I was working so hard on being healthier, until yet another disillusionment came along. Maybe this is a way I can get back on track and stay there.
So, in 2012: I hunger for strength, discernment, good food within healthy limits (both quality and quantity), knowledge of new things, the ability to recognize & appreciate special moments, a stronger (and smaller) body, and a closer relationship with God. Not necessarily in that order, though. :-)
Til next time,
L
Sunday, January 1, 2012
New Year's Day! We had the traditional and invited the Supper Club crew at the last minute. Baked Ham with Pampered Chef Pineapple Rum sauce, blackeyed peas, turnip greens (I don't care for collards - close enough), pasta salad, cranberry salad and fresh bread. Our luck and prosperity are covered for the year! :-)
I need to buckle down and come up with something wonderful to start off our club next week. I know it'll end with warm Chocolate-Pecan Cobbler with vanilla ice cream (you can't go wrong with Paula Deen!). I was thinking about Shrimp and Pea Risotto, but I don't think anyone else would eat it LOL. I do know I want to try for healthier fare this year, every day, but especially on club nights (Monday or Tuesday is still up in the air - we'll probably go with whatever is convenient for most each week). At least I have a week to be thinking on it.
Til next time, happy and HEALTHY eating!
L
I need to buckle down and come up with something wonderful to start off our club next week. I know it'll end with warm Chocolate-Pecan Cobbler with vanilla ice cream (you can't go wrong with Paula Deen!). I was thinking about Shrimp and Pea Risotto, but I don't think anyone else would eat it LOL. I do know I want to try for healthier fare this year, every day, but especially on club nights (Monday or Tuesday is still up in the air - we'll probably go with whatever is convenient for most each week). At least I have a week to be thinking on it.
Til next time, happy and HEALTHY eating!
L
Happy New Year! Two Thousand Twelve - wow. I remember all the hoopla as we approached 1984 (due to the book), much less Y2K.
We had so much FOOD yesterday! We were planning a party, but the young folks were here early and left for a bonfire and the older folks were sick, so it ended up just me and Richard there the last few hours. We didn't even make it to midnight. :-)
Anyway, the menu last night (since that's what I write) was Crockpot Nachos, Cheese 'n Bacon Stuffed Mushrooms, Pepperoni Balls, Cheese & Crackers. Pretty good, but lots of leftovers. I made a Jewish Apple Cake, too. Apparently, my tastes have changed - I used to love the Nachos (ground beef, Velveeta, Salsa, Cheddar Cheese soup), but not last night. They just aren't that good anymore. The Pepperoni Balls were kinda bland, too. I think I'm just tired of the same old, same old, but that's what my guys ask for every year. Next year, if we attempt it again, I'm going to add at least a couple of new, healthier options, if only for me.
Happy New Year! I wish health, happiness and prosperity to everyone. My resolutions all surround taking better care of myself - body, soul and spirit.
L
We had so much FOOD yesterday! We were planning a party, but the young folks were here early and left for a bonfire and the older folks were sick, so it ended up just me and Richard there the last few hours. We didn't even make it to midnight. :-)
Anyway, the menu last night (since that's what I write) was Crockpot Nachos, Cheese 'n Bacon Stuffed Mushrooms, Pepperoni Balls, Cheese & Crackers. Pretty good, but lots of leftovers. I made a Jewish Apple Cake, too. Apparently, my tastes have changed - I used to love the Nachos (ground beef, Velveeta, Salsa, Cheddar Cheese soup), but not last night. They just aren't that good anymore. The Pepperoni Balls were kinda bland, too. I think I'm just tired of the same old, same old, but that's what my guys ask for every year. Next year, if we attempt it again, I'm going to add at least a couple of new, healthier options, if only for me.
Happy New Year! I wish health, happiness and prosperity to everyone. My resolutions all surround taking better care of myself - body, soul and spirit.
L
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