Home - Where Love and Care Await You

This past weekend we were blessed to have a part of our family with us for Easter. Our daughter, her husband and their two daughters spent the entire weekend. What a great time was had by all! As with any time our children come home, each and every one is asked the same question: "What do you want me to cook for you?" All our children (spouses included because we consider them our children) are quizzed as to what they would like to have prepared while they visit us.
Always!!! Hands down requested and counted-on is Saba's World Famous Hamburgers! Truly, they are the best ever!!! Steve and I try to live into the requests the best we can with great joy! We love having all our family here! We love serving them and caring for them and most of all hugging (a lot) on our grandchildren!) They are quite spectacular, you know!

I surprised our family with a special dessert for our Easter Sunday Luncheon. It is one of our son-in-law's favorite desserts. T is an amazing godly man and Steve and I both appreciate the love and care he gives our daughter and granddaughters. We are so proud of him and making this dessert was my way of letting him know how much we love him and thank him for all he does!

So this is for you, T!

Normally I post a recipe a week but this week I had a special request and since there is not rule on how many recipes to post, you are getting two instead of one! The second recipe was requested today by a very precious friend. When telling her about this new recipe, she said, "Oh, please post that one today!" So, Sandra, the second one is for you!

The first recipe is T's dessert and is an Orange Mandarin Cake. The recipe makes a 3-layer cake. I couldn't wait to try out my new square Pampered Chef baking pans. They worked perfect for this dessert but round ones work just as well.

Here is the recipe for the Orange Mandarin Cake:

Ingredients:

1 Duncan Hines Butter Yellow Cake Mix (I used two because I wanted the cake to sit tall on the square cake plate); 4 eggs; 11 oz. can of Mandarin Oranges plus juice; 3/4 cup oil (I use canola)

Mix together and pour into 3 prepared pans. Bake for about 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Check timing on cake box to make sure they are done when a toothpick is stuck in the middle.

Cool on Pampered Chef's baking racks. If you do not own these, they are awesome! You need them! They are great for cookies, cakes and cooling homemade bread.

While the cake is baking you prepare the frosting. This includes:

1 (15 oz) can Crushed Pineapple (drained); 1 large pkg. Instant Vanilla Pudding; 1 large container Cool Whip

Mix pineapple and pudding together. Do not add juice from pineapple). Then, fold in Cool Whip. Keep icing in refrigerator until ready to frost the cake. Make sure the cake is completely cooled before frosting. Keep cake chilled until time for serving. It is one tasty and refreshing cake. Stand up and take a bow! People love this cake!

The second recipe actually was a result of my spending some quiet time in prayer. I was giving God thanks for our family and the legacy of faith we share. Whenever I think of being blessed and happy, I think of a couple that truly were my heroes and my role models. For a brief time when in college, I lived with my Aunt Violet and Uncle Bill and their family of four children. Aunt Violet is an amazing lady and one of great faith. Next month my favorite aunt will be 80 years young! I have always found Aunt Violet sound in wisdom and sound in faith. The memory was of Aunt Violet and I sitting on the front steps of their house...truly some of my most formative and godly training. She suddenly stood up and headed back into their house. I asked her where she was going and she said that she needed to go comb her hair and put on some lipstick. Uncle Bill was due home shortly and she wanted to look pretty for him. She always made him feel special and loved. To his dying day, she maintained that role model of love and care for Uncle Bill and still to this day - our family. Uncle Bill was my role model for what I wanted when and if I EVER got married. He was darn near perfect! He was always kind to others, loved God and loved his family.

Yesterday, both Aunt Violet and Uncle Bill came to mind. The memory urged me to surprise my honey with a special meal - and yes, I did fix my hair and put on fresh make-up! Oh, how I do love my man! And, Aunt Violet, thank you for living out what a godly wife is supposed to be. You still are one amazing lady!!!

The search was on for a special recipe. One place I enjoy looking for new ideas is the Pioneer Woman website. If you have not visited it, after you finish reading this blog, go check her out, please! She is a great cook, takes awesome photographs and her cooking style is one that anyone can do. She makes it just that easy.

Determined NOT to make a trip into town for ingredients, I assessed my supplies on hand and was surprised that everything that the recipe required was in our pantry and freezer! Whaoo!!!! This recipe is fast, easy and beyond tasty!!!!!

The recipe selected is called: Creamy Chicken Spaghetti Casserole. I took the liberty of changing a few things because that is what I had on hand, but the meal turned out beautifully - in fact, we had enough to share with one of our neighbors.

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

4 boneless chicken breasts (she used a whole chicken) but chicken breasts were in my freezer; 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter; 16 oz. white mushrooms (sliced) (I used dehydrated mushrooms since I didn't have fresh ones); Kosher salt and pepper (if you don't use Kosher salt - well, you need to, it makes all the difference); 1/4 cup flour (all purpose); 2 cups chicken broth (reserved from boiled chicken); 1 1/2 cup whole milk (used 2%); 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese; 1/2 cup sliced ripe olives; Freshly ground pepper; Extra cheese for garnishing (I used a blend of 3 cheeses - Parmesan, Romano and Asiago); 1 pound thin spaghetti (used a box of Pennie pasta - it was great!)

Directions: Place chicken breast in a stew pot and cover with water. Boil on medium-low heat for 30-40 minutes (until chicken is done). Remove chicken from pot and allow chicken to cool slightly. Keep broth in the stew pot and set over heat. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a 12" skillet (you need a large one and you will see why later). Add mushrooms and 1/4 cup white wine. Add salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Break spaghetti into thirds (or shorter pieces) and add to boiling broth and cook until al dente. In the meantime, cut chicken into bite size (or smaller) pieces until you have a little over 2 cups of chicken. Return 12" skillet to medium-low heat. Add 6 tablespoons butter. Slowly add flour and whisk until well blended and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add 2 cups of broth and whisk to blend. Pour in milk, additional 1/4 cup white wine, salt and pepper (to taste). Then, add mushrooms, chicken, and chopped olives and stir until blended. Adjust seasonings to taste. Pour mixture into a 9 x 13" casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees or until golden brown and bubbly. Great with warmed homemade sourdough bread and salad. Definitely a keeper recipe!!

Her Prayer

Today is Wednesday, April 27, 2011. The reason that I am including the date is because I want to remember a prayer changing event. On Monday, April 25, 2011, the road home was an exhausting one. Not only were the miles driven long and tedious, but thinking back now, I'm pretty sure God knew I needed the time for some heart work before my visit began.
Awaiting my arrival was my parents and my sister. My sister, Carol, lives in Kansas. She iss visiting with our family, thanks to her husband. If you are new to my blog, you may not know that my sister suffered a devastating illness several years back. After visiting in Louisiana with our family, Carol returned home to Kansas and suddenly became quite ill. The doctors in the small town where she lives diagnosed her wrongly with a stroke. However, thankfully, her son had her lab work sent to the hospital where he is employed in Denver. It was determined that she, in fact, had not suffered a stroke but had meningitis. Carol then went into a coma. She was transferred to the Swedish Hospital in Denver where she remained for several months. One day she awoke, fully restored and we were thrilled. However, before she could leave the hospital, it appeared that she had suffered a relapse and went back into a coma. The meningitis had triggered another disease called, "Hashimoto Encelephathy." The second coma lasted for months and when she regained consciousness, her long-term and short-term memory were gone. We are now two-years post this illness and her memory (long and short) have not returned. Learning to live with this change in her life has been difficult (especially) for her and her family.
Our visits are not frequent as we live in different states. But, each time we visit, I pray that there has been some improvement in her condition...some glimmer of hope that God is healing her and that she is being full restored. Webster defines restoration as "an act of restoring or the condition of being restore: as a bringing back to a former position or condition; reinstatement." It is that definition of restoration that our family has prayed for Carol...to be fully restored and brought back to a former condition.
Fastforward to this past Monday. Disappointingly, things are pretty much the same with my sister's condition. Her memory is like swiss cheese. There are miliseconds of clarity and then the memory retreats as quickly as it appears only to return to the tricky vault where her memories reside.
It was time for breakfast yesterday (Tuesday) and our mother had been saying the blessing at our meals, but Carol spoke up and said she wanted to say the blessing. We were all thrilled!!! We bowed our heads and she began to pray. I wish a thousand times that every word she spoke could have been recorded. The prayer she prayed transcended all physical limitations and ascended to Heaven at warp speed! It was one of the most beautiful prayers I've ever heard! When lunch came around, we gathered again at the table and Carol asked me to pray. I smiled at her and told her that she had blessed my heart so much by her prayer at breakfast that I wanted to hear her pray again. She humbly bowed her head and prayed. Tears streaming down my face, ears tuned to her prayer, I sat in the presence of a saint of God. What a priviledge and honor to listen to an intimate conversation between God and my sister. She spoke to him personally. It was beautiful, intimate and precious!
Normally on the long drive back to my home there would have been praise music accompanying me as I drove. This time the car was silent...only quiet...listening to God, thanking God for the time with my sister and our family. God continues to do mighty things in and through each of us. Although the outward and physical part of my sister seemed unrestored, the inward and spiritual part of her thrives and lives on to bless and teach and to love.
I see my prayers for healing for her differently now. There is so much of what we don't know and understand about the scope of God's love for each of us. Healing looks different to each of us. In our prayers for healing, we picture what it might look like or what we believe is God's will...and sometimes, God reveals that His healing looks a whole lot different that we expected.
Her body may appear as though it is stuck in the disease. But this disease has no power over God. If you are praying for someone and not seeing a "physical" healing, do not think that God is not healing! He most definitely is!!!

But we have this treasure in jars of clay

to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.

2 Corinthians 4:7

Queen of What Ifs - I think not!

As I watch the morning sun peek above the houses and shine into my office window, I am glad that I have, "one again" surrendered my crown of "Queen of What Ifs." It is a daily process, you know, this laying down the crown every morning. It is a surrendering of a list of "what ifs" and laying them down at the feet of the One who has all the answers. I used to be very good and rule the Kingdom of "What Ifs" very well. It was exhausting! After all there is all this planning ahead, making sure there is a multiple list of possible scenarios for each event...just in case, the first one didn't work, well, then the second or third or...sad to admit that really, the "Queen of What Ifs" liked to be in control.
It was a little unsettling at first, you know, relinquishing the crown and all that goes with the act of surrender. At first, it didn't make sense that I should give up control - after all - I am really good at this! Yet, all the control I thought I had didn't make the kingdom run smoothly. As the saying goes, "The best laid plans..." It appeared to me that if I relinquished my control as "Queen of What If''s" that my world would be completely upside down! If I lost control what would happen to my world? Who would be in charge? Oh my! Just thinking about relinquishing my crown made me feel as if I was upside down!

Funny, that is exactly what the Prince of Peace wanted. To the world, it appears all that He says and does is "Upside Down." Yet, in truth, it's not. It really is the world that is "Upside Down." I don't want to be in the world's upside down kingdom!

So, once again, I meet my King early in the morning. Bowing down before Him I lay my crown of "Queen of What If''s" at His feet and smile. Belonging to His "Upside Down" is belonging to a kingdom that is "Right Side Up!" His kingdom feels right. There is peace and joy in NOT being in control. And the best part of relinquishing my crown is that the weight, burden and the illusion of being in control is gone. Queen of What If''s - I think not!
I bet you have guessed by now what the recipe for this week is...you guessed it! And don't miss the poem at the end. Thanks Sarah and Aaron for sending me the poem. Perfect!

Ingredients for a Pineapple Upside Cake
1/2 cup of butter or margerine (I use butter)

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 can (20 ounces) sliced pineapple (undrained)

5 maraschino cherries (drained and halved)

1/2 cup chopped nuts

1 package (18.25 ounces) yellow cake mix

3 eggs

1/3 cup vegetable oil (I use canola)
1 cup thawed whipped topping
Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in the Pampered Chef 12" executive skillet (do not use stainless cookware) over a low heat. Remove from heat and stir in brown sugar until well blended. Drain pineapple, reserving juice, set aside.

Arrange pineapple slices over brown sugar mixture in skillet. Place a cherry half in the center of each pineapple. Sprinkle with chopped nuts. Add enough water to the pineapple juice until it measures 1 1/3 cup of liquid. In Pampered Chef Classic Batter bowl add cake mix, eggs, pineapple juice and oil. Whisk until well blended and smooth. Pour over fruit mixture in the skillet

Bake at 35-40 minutes until a toothpick when inserted in middle comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool 5 minutes. Carefully loosen edges of cake and invert onto a large serving platter. Cool slightly and garnish with whipped topping. Yields 12 servings.

Poor little upside down cake, cares and woes-you've got 'em, because little upside down cake your top is on your bottom. Poor little upside down cake, your worries never stop, because little upside down cake, your bottom is on your top!

Finally! It's Here!

It is finally here! The warm weather begs a southern lady to break out her tea kettle, the ice-filled glasses and fresh mint leaves and make the Spring Time Tea. This is a favorite and never fails to bring smiles to the faces of the partakers. Hope you enjoy this delectable nectar!Oh, and the pink straw in the glass...well, it is optional.

Spring Time Tea

1 Family size Tea Bag (Louisianne - of course!)

2 regular size Twining's Green Tea Bags

2 regular size Numi Moroccan Mint Organic Simply Mint Tea Bags

1 (12 oz) frozen lemonade, thawed (Hill Country - HEB Brand)

1 cup sugar (I substitute Splenda which measures cup for cup with sugar)

1/2 tsp. pure Almond Extract (I add a Tablespoon -but this is simply to taste)

Steep tea bags in a tea pot for at least an hour. I usually steep it longer to make the tea flavors meld and more pronounced. In the one-gallon Pampered Chef Quick Stir pitcher add tea, lemonade, sugar (or Splenda) and almont extract. Fill the pitcher with enough water to make one gallon. Use the plunger in the pitcher to mix the liquids with the sugar and lemonade. Serve over ice with a fresh mint leaf! Fabulous!!!!!!!!!!!!!

However, I have been know to add a tad bit of sparkling and bubbly white white to a glass of this tasty tea in the evenings after a very long day- what a treat! Note: the little orange clip in the tea pot is used to keep the tea bags together. You can purchase the Twixit! and comes it is sold as combo pack. The Twixit! and the Quick Stir pitcher are Pampered Chef products. The combo pack has several sizes to accomodate any need! The Quick Stir pictcher is available in 2 quart and 1 gallon size. Have both sizes of the pitchers and use them everyday! Great for mixes juices and other beverages and fits nicely in the refrigerator. Love them!!!!

Breakfast with Jesus

It began just like the last few mornings…quiet! As I try to find the rhythm in the change of our schedule I feel as though I am floundering – lost and not sure how to do. The change involves my honey leaving long before daybreak. Now I wake to an empty house and a sad puppy. The minute I open our bedroom door, Maggie Moo (really…officially…truthfully her name is Magnolia Isabella Ferguson) but we call her Maggie Moo. Maggie Moo has these piercing eyes kinda like a Ewok from Star Wars. You can’t help but love that dog!

Sorry, I digress…bedroom door opens and Maggie Moo is like a race horse at the sound of the gun, she is off and running. All too soon she discovers that her two-legged daddy is no where to be found. Almost slinking back to the kitchen where she finds me, she looks at me as if she could speak. And this is what her expression appears to say, “You again?” Yes, I have to admit I am not nearly as fun as her two-legged daddy but it is what it is…and I am all she has…might as well contend with and move on. I amble about the front of the house for a few minutes and realize – hey, I can make breakfast! Although there is a MacDonald’s less than a couple of miles away, there is great satisfaction in hearing the skillet come off the pot rack overhead and resting on the stove. Breakfast is about to happen! To complete the meal I grab a bottle of water from the outside frig and head back to the stove. Once the meal is ready, I settle into a chair at the kitchen table, prop my feet on the table’s curved legs and turn on my Kindle. The Kindle powers on and there awaiting me is my daily devotion, “Jesus is Calling” by Sarah Young. What I love about the Kindle version of this book of devotions is that at the end of each day’s reading the entire scripture is include - just the book, chapter and verse of the scriptures. I bow my head, pray and wait. Something is missing…someone is missing. I look at the chair next to me. It is empty…or maybe it’s not… Before we downsized and moved to our present home, I had a special place in our den where I met Jesus every morning. There were two chairs that sat close to each other tucked away in the corner of the room. I sat in one and I left the other chair vacant for Jesus. Before I could read my devotion, the memory of my prayer chair and my meeting place with Jesus came to mind. I looked over at the empty chair at the table and think, “Why not? Breakfast with Jesus!” Quoting a line from a long ago television show called “The A-Team” (sorry youngsters – for you who haven’t a clue about the A-Team - look for it on re-runs), I smile and quote the ever popular line from the series, “I love it when a plan comes together!” That means that the outcome is good for those involved. So, that is my plan…in the quite of the early morning, I am planning on breakfast with Jesus. All of a sudden the house doesn’t seem empty at all! God is good! Breakfast, hurry! I can’t wait to see what Jesus has to say!