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!!