Never let 'em see you when you're breaking
Never let 'em see you when you fall
That's how we live and that's how we try
Tell the world you've got it all together
Never let them see what's underneath
Cover it up with a crooked smile
But it only lasts for a little while
[CHORUS:]
There's no such thing as perfect people
There's no such thing as a perfect life
So come as you are, broken and scarred
Lift up your heart and be amazed
And be changed by a perfect God
Suddenly it's like a weight is lifted
When you hear the words that you are loved
He knows where you are and where you've been
And you never have to go there again
[CHORUS]
Who lived and died to give new life
To heal our imperfections
So look up and see love. Let grace be enough
[CHORUS]
By a perfect God [5x]
Be changed by a perfect God
Be changed
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Struggling with perfectionism...
(Scroll down and turn off music before playing the video.)
Monday, May 18, 2009
Train up a child...
We're all familiar with the verse in Proverbs....
"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."
-Proverbs 22:6
Usually we take this verse to mean that if we raise our chilren in a godly home according to the will of our Father in heaven, the will remain so as they grow older. While I do hold to that interpretation, I also think it can apply to trades and occupations, or even hobbies. When we find that our children have a love for something or are skilled in an certain area, it is our job to nurture that love and help improve those skills to carry them through adulthood.
My daughter, Erin, is has recently expressed a love for photography. She is drawn to the camera and has a natural ability to take see the beauty in objects and take wonderful photographs. Being only 9, turning 10 this month, I was apprehensive in giving her my only good camera to experiment with. But after seeing the products of a photography unit she participated in, I see now that this is definitely an area that I should "train her up". Judging by her photos, however, she might be the one training me.
Here are some examples of her work.
While my hearts desire and the intention in our parenting is to raise her to be a keeper of the home, I can see how photography would be such a blessing to her family someday. Think of all of the money that could be saved if she were able to take her own family photographs, or the added income she could provide while doing free-lance work. Photography is going to be area in her life that I will encourage and do my best to foster growth. Now I'm on the prowl for her very own camera. What do I get a budding photographer??
Sunday, May 17, 2009
We're Home
A huge thanks to all who were praying for our family this past week. And for those of you who didn't know why I was absent, here's an update.
Ty was admitted to the hospital Sunday afternoon for "bowel prep" to get ready for surgery on Monday. We knew he needed this surgery, but due to scheduling, it was kind of sprung on us at the last minute. Anyway, Ty endured his bowel prep all day Sunday and well into early Monday morning. My Mother's Day gift was cleaning up lots and lots of pooey diapers. :)
Around 2pm. Monday afternoon, Ty was wheeled into surgery. His urologist did extensive work on his bowels and bladder. He had a bladder sling using cadaver tissue and an ACE procedure. Four hours later, the surgeon had finished and was confident the procedures went well. I wasn't able to see him until almost 8pm, and by then we was still sleeping.
The next four nights reminded me of having a newborn again. Because of the work done on his bladder, he constantly had bladder spasms which caused a lot of pain in addition to the soreness from the incisions. He also had a suprapubic catheter placed in his abdomen to drain the urine until his bladder healed, which again, caused great discomfort. To ease his pain, he was on low doses of Morphine and valium to control the bladder spasms. He would sleep for about 45min., then awake with pain. This cycle went on all night long.
By Thursday afternoon he was able to sit in a wheelchair, and we were able to visit the patient playroom for a short time. His sleeping improved and by Friday morning all of his IV's were removed and we were able to go home late Friday afternoon.
It has been good to be home, but he is still struggling with pain. It's so hard seeing your child go through such difficult situations, but I know it's for the best. Both of these procedures will ultimately bring about social continence and move him one step closer to wearing big boy pants.
God is mighty, and I know He holds Ty in His hands and will see him through this.....but it's still hard.
Ty was admitted to the hospital Sunday afternoon for "bowel prep" to get ready for surgery on Monday. We knew he needed this surgery, but due to scheduling, it was kind of sprung on us at the last minute. Anyway, Ty endured his bowel prep all day Sunday and well into early Monday morning. My Mother's Day gift was cleaning up lots and lots of pooey diapers. :)
Around 2pm. Monday afternoon, Ty was wheeled into surgery. His urologist did extensive work on his bowels and bladder. He had a bladder sling using cadaver tissue and an ACE procedure. Four hours later, the surgeon had finished and was confident the procedures went well. I wasn't able to see him until almost 8pm, and by then we was still sleeping.
The next four nights reminded me of having a newborn again. Because of the work done on his bladder, he constantly had bladder spasms which caused a lot of pain in addition to the soreness from the incisions. He also had a suprapubic catheter placed in his abdomen to drain the urine until his bladder healed, which again, caused great discomfort. To ease his pain, he was on low doses of Morphine and valium to control the bladder spasms. He would sleep for about 45min., then awake with pain. This cycle went on all night long.
By Thursday afternoon he was able to sit in a wheelchair, and we were able to visit the patient playroom for a short time. His sleeping improved and by Friday morning all of his IV's were removed and we were able to go home late Friday afternoon.
It has been good to be home, but he is still struggling with pain. It's so hard seeing your child go through such difficult situations, but I know it's for the best. Both of these procedures will ultimately bring about social continence and move him one step closer to wearing big boy pants.
God is mighty, and I know He holds Ty in His hands and will see him through this.....but it's still hard.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Thrifty Thursday
Lots of freebies out there this week. Check out these two.....
free meal @ KFC....
Follow the link here for a coupon good for a free 2 piece meal at KFC. ***Disclaimer*** The link will take you to Oprah's website. Although I am not a huge Oprah fan, I'm all for free food!!
Find more Thrifty Thursday deals @ Generation Cedar.
Enjoy, and Happy Mother's Day!!
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
This world is not my home...
In the wee hours of the morning, before I wake the kids for the day, I have a habit that I really must stop....I watch the local news. I began watching it a few years ago to get the latest weather report and to have something mindless help pass the time during my first cup of joe. The more I watch, the more I am aware that I'm an alien in this world of mine. I don't want to claim my heritage here, I long for a better place. Here's an example of this morning's headlines:
1. "Arrest made in death of baby thrown from car."
2. "Lakeland father kills wife, 2 children, and himself. Teenage son narrowly escapes."
3. "Area schools closed with confirmed cases of Swine Flu outbreak."
...and that's just my LOCAL news, this doesn't even scrape the surface of what's going on world wide.
God has given us warnings that this would happen.
He reminds us who/what we are at war against.
Yet, praise be to God, He gives us a hope in Jesus:
Maranatha, Lord Jesus, come!
1. "Arrest made in death of baby thrown from car."
2. "Lakeland father kills wife, 2 children, and himself. Teenage son narrowly escapes."
3. "Area schools closed with confirmed cases of Swine Flu outbreak."
...and that's just my LOCAL news, this doesn't even scrape the surface of what's going on world wide.
God has given us warnings that this would happen.
Matthew 24:7
For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.
He reminds us who/what we are at war against.
Ephesians 6:12
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Yet, praise be to God, He gives us a hope in Jesus:
Phillipians 3:20
But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,
Maranatha, Lord Jesus, come!
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Thrifty Thursday
One sure way I've learned to be frugal is in the kitchen. While I love my boneless, skinless chicken breasts for ease and convenience, they don't score high on the frugal scale. If you're willing to put in a little work, buy using a whole chicken, you can get three good meals from one bird. I once heard it called "stretchy chicken" because it stretches out over days of cooking.
3 Day Chicken
(using a whole roaster... currently $.69/lb at local discount store)
Day 1: Roasted chicken
1. Roast chicken in oven with olive oil and seasonings. Serve breasts and legs with salad and fresh bread.
2. Pick all meat off the bones and separate into two containers.
3. Keep carcass for tomorrow.
Day 2: Chicken Soup
1. Boil carcass with garlic, onion, carrots, and celery to make your own stock. You could also put all ingredients in crock pot and cover with water the evening of day one and cook on low all night. When you wake up, the stock would be ready.
2. Remove bones and drain stock. Discard vegetables.
3. In bottom of dutch oven, add chopped carrots, celery, onion, and garlic to olive oil and saute.
4. Add leftover chicken and stock. Simmer for 1 hr.
5. Add cooked noodles before serving.
Day 3: Chicken and rice
1. Prepare yellow rice as directed, bring to a boil.
2. Add remaining leftover chicken and small package of frozen peas.
3. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes or until rice is fluffy.
The possibilities are really endless depending upon what you're family enjoys at mealtime. You could a chicken spaghetti, tetrazzini, chicken and dumplings, etc. The main goal is to make good use of what you have!
Find more Thrifty Thursday ideas at Generation Cedar.
3 Day Chicken
(using a whole roaster... currently $.69/lb at local discount store)
Day 1: Roasted chicken
1. Roast chicken in oven with olive oil and seasonings. Serve breasts and legs with salad and fresh bread.
2. Pick all meat off the bones and separate into two containers.
3. Keep carcass for tomorrow.
Day 2: Chicken Soup
1. Boil carcass with garlic, onion, carrots, and celery to make your own stock. You could also put all ingredients in crock pot and cover with water the evening of day one and cook on low all night. When you wake up, the stock would be ready.
2. Remove bones and drain stock. Discard vegetables.
3. In bottom of dutch oven, add chopped carrots, celery, onion, and garlic to olive oil and saute.
4. Add leftover chicken and stock. Simmer for 1 hr.
5. Add cooked noodles before serving.
Day 3: Chicken and rice
1. Prepare yellow rice as directed, bring to a boil.
2. Add remaining leftover chicken and small package of frozen peas.
3. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes or until rice is fluffy.
The possibilities are really endless depending upon what you're family enjoys at mealtime. You could a chicken spaghetti, tetrazzini, chicken and dumplings, etc. The main goal is to make good use of what you have!
Find more Thrifty Thursday ideas at Generation Cedar.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Trying to figure it out...
I realized that there is no way you can even read the kids course study spreadsheet in the previous post. Until I figure out how to make it larger, you can click on the picture itself to enlarge. Bear with me, please!!!
Homeschool Planning
I'm really excited for the upcoming school year....My children are coming home! I've been planning their course study lately and this is what I've come up with.
I'm still looking for something to do for Bible time. I'll start by reading...the Bible. :) I would, however, like to get them something to guide their individual devotional times and work on character training as a group. Any suggestions?
I haven't homeschooled in 2 years, so I feel a bit rusty. I really like the way this looks so far, the tough part will be the schedule. To be continued......
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Thrifty Thursday
Kelly, at Generation Cedar , has challenged her readers to share our thrifty ideas. Not only does this help those of us who choose to live on one income, but in this economy, many people are being forced into situations where they have no choice but to pinch pennies. Here is a very frugal, but yummy lunch that our family really enjoys.
Egg salad Sandwiches (1/2 dozen eggs, 1 loaf bread, 1/4 c. mayo) - $1.00
Carrot Sticks - $.25 (that's a rough estimation, I can get a bag for $1 at Save-a-Lot)
Orange Slices - free (I live in FL, which is an unfair advantage, I realize)
Total lunch cost - $1.25. This will feed our family of 6 just fine. I keep my prices low by making my bread or buying day old bread and freezing it. Eggs right now are $.99/doz., which is as low as I've seen them for a long time. If you aren't fortunate enough to own a fruit tree, buy in season which will help keep the cost down. Just to give you a comparison, school lunches are currently $2.10/person. Yep, this is one cheap lunch!
Egg salad Sandwiches (1/2 dozen eggs, 1 loaf bread, 1/4 c. mayo) - $1.00
Carrot Sticks - $.25 (that's a rough estimation, I can get a bag for $1 at Save-a-Lot)
Orange Slices - free (I live in FL, which is an unfair advantage, I realize)
Total lunch cost - $1.25. This will feed our family of 6 just fine. I keep my prices low by making my bread or buying day old bread and freezing it. Eggs right now are $.99/doz., which is as low as I've seen them for a long time. If you aren't fortunate enough to own a fruit tree, buy in season which will help keep the cost down. Just to give you a comparison, school lunches are currently $2.10/person. Yep, this is one cheap lunch!
Monday, April 20, 2009
Easter Recap...
Yeah, yeah....Easter's been over for weeks...I know! For those of you just getting to know me, you'll find out something pretty quickly...I procrastinate. It's a horrible affliction, and I'm trying very hard to overcome it...maybe I'll start tomorrow. Anyhow...here are some pics from Easter I thought you might enjoy.
Almost my entire, crazy family came to visit...minus my brother and his family in Oklahoma. This shot includes my brother and his family, my parents, my mother in law, my family (minus hubby behind the camera), and my aunt.
Posing before church.
Erin's creative photography!
Dinner at the Quinn's house.
Easter egg hunting at a friend's church...
We had a wonderful Easter Sunday, hope you all had the same!
Almost my entire, crazy family came to visit...minus my brother and his family in Oklahoma. This shot includes my brother and his family, my parents, my mother in law, my family (minus hubby behind the camera), and my aunt.
Posing before church.
Erin's creative photography!
Dinner at the Quinn's house.
Easter egg hunting at a friend's church...
We had a wonderful Easter Sunday, hope you all had the same!
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Update
Yeah, I know...it's been forever. Things have really been busy around here. The kids are home for Spring Break this week, which has been wonderful. You would think that it would make things crazier, but I really enjoy having them home. When the kids are home, our house is happier. No, really...stop laughing! I mean it...I'm not shuffling kids to and fro every activity under the sun. Not to mention no trips into town twice a day for school. It has been lovely. I'm even getting more accomplished than when their in school. To tell you the truth, it's a little depressing when they're gone all day, I can't wait for summer!
My husband is in his second week of radiation treatments. He is receiving high dose radiation 5 days a week for 4 weeks. The radiation clinic is in Bartow, which is about a 1 hour drive....everyday. He's a trooper though, he hasn't complained a bit. But he is sick. Oh, is he ever sick. We were really thankful when we found out they were going with radiation instead of chemo because we had heard several people who had radiation say that they tolerated it just fine. Well, for whatever reason, he is sick within an hour of treatments every day. It drains the energy right out him, and he winds up sleeping most of the afternoon. This should all be over, Lord willing, the last week of April.
Everything else has been pretty good, too. Aside from a few ER visits and sick kids (nothing out of the norm) we're good. I've been looking at homeschool curriculum. I think I'm pretty set on what I'm going with. There are a few choices that I still have to make. I'm seriously thinking of using Switched on Schoolhouse for Language Arts, just for ease of planning and to give me some time with Ty. They are having a 20% off sale this month at AOP, so I need to decide quickly. I will be using Mystery of History and Apologia Science for everyone to work through together. For math, I'm going with Horizons for my 3rd grader, and I haven't decided for my 5th & 6th graders. I gave them the Saxon placement test and they both were recommended to start in Saxon 8/7. I'd hate to buy two textbooks, but I doubt they'll share! For reading, everyone will read their choice of books from the 1000 Good Book List. Then there's my little guy. He's turning 5 this August, and I know he's ready to start some formal work. I'm definitely going to use Horizons for math, and probably 100 EZ Lessons and the kindergarten workbooks from Rod & Staff...that'll be it for him, not too much pressure there!
I'm starting a new sewing project soon. I haven't sewn in forever, so something simple is perfect. Over at momys.com we're doing an apron swap. You send in a handmade apron, and the coordinator of the swap will send you someone else's handmade apron. That should be fun....I'll post pics of the pattern and material later.
Well, that's about it for an update. I really hope to post more soon. Thank you all for your prayers for our family. The Lord is good, and He continues to be our refuge!
My husband is in his second week of radiation treatments. He is receiving high dose radiation 5 days a week for 4 weeks. The radiation clinic is in Bartow, which is about a 1 hour drive....everyday. He's a trooper though, he hasn't complained a bit. But he is sick. Oh, is he ever sick. We were really thankful when we found out they were going with radiation instead of chemo because we had heard several people who had radiation say that they tolerated it just fine. Well, for whatever reason, he is sick within an hour of treatments every day. It drains the energy right out him, and he winds up sleeping most of the afternoon. This should all be over, Lord willing, the last week of April.
Everything else has been pretty good, too. Aside from a few ER visits and sick kids (nothing out of the norm) we're good. I've been looking at homeschool curriculum. I think I'm pretty set on what I'm going with. There are a few choices that I still have to make. I'm seriously thinking of using Switched on Schoolhouse for Language Arts, just for ease of planning and to give me some time with Ty. They are having a 20% off sale this month at AOP, so I need to decide quickly. I will be using Mystery of History and Apologia Science for everyone to work through together. For math, I'm going with Horizons for my 3rd grader, and I haven't decided for my 5th & 6th graders. I gave them the Saxon placement test and they both were recommended to start in Saxon 8/7. I'd hate to buy two textbooks, but I doubt they'll share! For reading, everyone will read their choice of books from the 1000 Good Book List. Then there's my little guy. He's turning 5 this August, and I know he's ready to start some formal work. I'm definitely going to use Horizons for math, and probably 100 EZ Lessons and the kindergarten workbooks from Rod & Staff...that'll be it for him, not too much pressure there!
I'm starting a new sewing project soon. I haven't sewn in forever, so something simple is perfect. Over at momys.com we're doing an apron swap. You send in a handmade apron, and the coordinator of the swap will send you someone else's handmade apron. That should be fun....I'll post pics of the pattern and material later.
Well, that's about it for an update. I really hope to post more soon. Thank you all for your prayers for our family. The Lord is good, and He continues to be our refuge!
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
A Little More Waiting...
The doctor's office called yesterday evening. It seems the doctor is still out of town and wouldn't get in until late this evening. They asked if my husband could come in Wednesday at 4:30 to discuss the results of the pathology report, blood work, and the CT scans. The waiting is really beginning to get to me. I know that the results will be what they will be, and one more day isn't going to change anything....but still.
Tomorrow is also my husband's 37th birthday. What a way to spend your birthday. Most people contemplate where they'll dine, or what type of cake they want to have, or maybe even whether or not they should put all of the candles on the cake this year...because last year it looked like we needed a fire extinguisher to blow it out. Not this year, it all seems trivial. He wants to celebrate, I want to celebrate. But it feels like there is this black cloud following our family.
I've decided, in the very depths of my being, that we are going to receive good news for his birthday and God is just trying to teach me patience. Through prayer and time with the Lord, I also feel confident that the Lord will see us through whatever His plan for my husband may be. Any strength I have is directly from the Lord,delivered to me through the prayers and comfort from friends. I wholly put my trust in Him, just please, please Lord, let the hard part be behind us.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Worry
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
Philippians 4:6
"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging."
Psalm 46
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Confession Time....
It's been 6 years since our last family portrait. Not that this even constitutes as a family portrait. I had to have my dad come over and take a quick picture for my grandmother's memorial this coming Monday. My aunt is making a pictorial family tree and needed pictures of all of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Talk about feeling guilty. The worst part is that I've had a child since our last picture....and he's now 4 1/2. Not to mention the fact that a dear friend, who is trying to jump start a little photography gig on the side, offered to photograph the family for free. All I had to do was name a day and round up my crew. I'm a bad mom.
Recipe gets an A-
I told you I would fill you in on how the Sausage and Broccoli Fettuccine Parmesan went...ahem, 3 days ago. Sorry, I'm really bad at keeping up with things.
The recipe was good. Not great, nothing to write home about, but good. Definitely something I would make again with modifications. I think it was the cream sauce that turned me off of this dish. It was way to complicated for the end process. White sauces are way easier, and better tasting in my opinion, than the one they wrote. I'll write out the recipe as written in the book, then give you my take on a white sauce.
From the Southern Living Christmas Cookbook
Pasta with Broccoli and Sausage
(I named it Sausage and Broccoli Fettuccine Parmesan....has a better ring to it!)
1 pound fresh broccoli, cut into florets
1 (9-ounce) package refrigerated fettuccine
2 tbsp. butter or margarine
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms (I omitted these)
1 garlic clove, minced
3 large eggs
3/4 cup whipping cream
3/4 tsp. pepper
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Cook broccoli and fettuccine in boiling water to cover in a Dutch oven 4 minutes or until broccoli is crisp-tender; drain. Rinse with cold water; drain. Place in a large bowl.
Melt butter in a large heavy skillet; add mushrooms and garlic, and saute 3 minutes or until tender. Add to fettuccine mixture.
Cook sausage in skillet over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until done; drain and add to fettuccine mixture. Wipe skillet clean with a paper towel.
*Stir together eggs, whipping cream, and pepper in skillet until blended. Add fettuccine mixture; toss well. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, 3 to 5 minutes or until thickened. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, and toss. Serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings.
My cream sauce:
Melt 2 tbsp. butter in sauce pan on med-high heat. Add 2 tbsp. flour, and whisk together briskly for 1-2 minutes cooking the flour. Add 2 cups milk while whisking continuously. When all the flour has smoothed out and the sauce starts to thicken, add pepper and Parmesan cheese. Done.
*Their sauce becomes tricky with the addition of the eggs and heavy cream. If not cooked at just he right temperature with the right amount of whisking, you'll end up with scrambled egg cream. Yuck! It can be done, but for the average cook, my sauce is much easier and just as good. (It's really not "my" sauce, I realize that....but it's my blog, and I can own it if I want to!!) Anyway, if you want to make the sauce a little more rich, do 1 cup of milk and 1/2 cup cream.
The kids really liked this recipe. The creamy cheese sauce was enough to get my daughter to eat the broccoli which is always a plus. I hope the new parents enjoyed, I sure enjoyed holding their new baby girl. What a sweetie!
The recipe was good. Not great, nothing to write home about, but good. Definitely something I would make again with modifications. I think it was the cream sauce that turned me off of this dish. It was way to complicated for the end process. White sauces are way easier, and better tasting in my opinion, than the one they wrote. I'll write out the recipe as written in the book, then give you my take on a white sauce.
From the Southern Living Christmas Cookbook
Pasta with Broccoli and Sausage
(I named it Sausage and Broccoli Fettuccine Parmesan....has a better ring to it!)
1 pound fresh broccoli, cut into florets
1 (9-ounce) package refrigerated fettuccine
2 tbsp. butter or margarine
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms (I omitted these)
1 garlic clove, minced
3 large eggs
3/4 cup whipping cream
3/4 tsp. pepper
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Cook broccoli and fettuccine in boiling water to cover in a Dutch oven 4 minutes or until broccoli is crisp-tender; drain. Rinse with cold water; drain. Place in a large bowl.
Melt butter in a large heavy skillet; add mushrooms and garlic, and saute 3 minutes or until tender. Add to fettuccine mixture.
Cook sausage in skillet over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until done; drain and add to fettuccine mixture. Wipe skillet clean with a paper towel.
*Stir together eggs, whipping cream, and pepper in skillet until blended. Add fettuccine mixture; toss well. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, 3 to 5 minutes or until thickened. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, and toss. Serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings.
My cream sauce:
Melt 2 tbsp. butter in sauce pan on med-high heat. Add 2 tbsp. flour, and whisk together briskly for 1-2 minutes cooking the flour. Add 2 cups milk while whisking continuously. When all the flour has smoothed out and the sauce starts to thicken, add pepper and Parmesan cheese. Done.
*Their sauce becomes tricky with the addition of the eggs and heavy cream. If not cooked at just he right temperature with the right amount of whisking, you'll end up with scrambled egg cream. Yuck! It can be done, but for the average cook, my sauce is much easier and just as good. (It's really not "my" sauce, I realize that....but it's my blog, and I can own it if I want to!!) Anyway, if you want to make the sauce a little more rich, do 1 cup of milk and 1/2 cup cream.
The kids really liked this recipe. The creamy cheese sauce was enough to get my daughter to eat the broccoli which is always a plus. I hope the new parents enjoyed, I sure enjoyed holding their new baby girl. What a sweetie!
Sunday, January 4, 2009
A Busy Day Cooking
Starting around 6am this morning, I've spent most of day in the kitchen. Our Sunday School class has set up a rotation schedule for regular attenders to provide breakfast. Some mornings, it's all I can do to get myself out the door, much less worry about eating, so I really appreciate the breakfast waiting for me at Sunday School. It varies each week from donuts to a wide variety of casseroles.
This morning was our scheduled Sunday for breakfast (actually just mine...let's face it my husband can't boil water) and I've brought donuts the last few times, so I thought I'd better cook today. Now, don't get me wrong...I don't think anyone has taken offense to my store bought, rather than home-cooked, breakfast. I'm the one with the hang-up. It would really bother me to buy something month after month instead of cooking it myself....I am a stay-at-home mom, after all. People might start to wonder what I do all day!
In addition to our morning fare, I also agreed to bring dinner to a couple in our class who was recently blessed with a new baby girl. This arrangement was made complete with ulterior motives, however. I get to hold a baby! I can't wait for them to meet me at the door, take the food out of my hands, and hand over the baby. That is, of course, unless she's one of those new moms who doesn't let anyone hold the baby for the first month or something crazy like that. I have 4 kids for Pete's sake...that should grant me holding rights on newborns. Right??
Anyway...here are the recipes of what I've been cooking up today. Hope you like them!
(Both of the following recipes are variations of recipes found on allrecipes.com.)
Breakfast:
Cream Cheese Danish Squares
2 cans refrigerated crescent rolls
2 (8oz) pkgs. cream cheese - softened
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup margarine, melted
1/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 inch pan. Press one can of the crescent rolls into the bottom of the prepared pan. In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Spread over the crescent rolls in pan. Unroll the second can of crescent rolls and lay them on top of the cream cheese layer. Do not press down. Pour the melted butter over the entire pan. (It looks like too much, just trust me!) Combine the remaining sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the top. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown and all butter is absorbed. Top will be crispy.
Variation - Before adding the final layer of crescent rolls, spoon on a layer of your favorite fruit preserves. Also, you could skip the butter and cinnamon/sugar mixture all together. Instead bake without, and make a glaze using powdered sugar and milk. Drizzle on glaze after they have slightly cooled.
(These things are sooo delicious, you need to go to church because the guilt will be more than you can handle.)
I also served the following:
Grits and Sausage Casserole
1 lb bulk sausage (I used turkey)
4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt (to taste)
1 cup quick cooking grits
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese ( I used a blend of cheddar and M. Jack)
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup half & half
1/4 cup butter
Crumble sausage into a large skillet. Cook over medium heat until no longer pink; drain and set aside. In a saucepan, bring water and salt to a boil. Slowly stir in grits. Reduce heat and cook 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste to adjust salt. Remove from heat when grits are tender. Stir a small amount of hot grits into the eggs to temper them; return to saucepan, stirring constantly. Add the sausage, cheese, milk and butter, stirring until all is well blended. Pour into a greased 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle top with additional cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until the top begins to turn brown.
Dinner for the new parents:
Mixed Green Salad
Sausage and Broccoli Fettuccine Parmesan
Garlic Bread
Banana Pudding
The Sausage and Broccoli Fettuccine Parmesan is a new recipe from a cookbook I got for Christmas. If it's a hit, I'll post that tomorrow. I've already prepared the salad, and banana pudding; now I need to make the bread and pasta. Oh yeah, and clean the royal mess I've made in the kitchen.
Wish me luck!
This morning was our scheduled Sunday for breakfast (actually just mine...let's face it my husband can't boil water) and I've brought donuts the last few times, so I thought I'd better cook today. Now, don't get me wrong...I don't think anyone has taken offense to my store bought, rather than home-cooked, breakfast. I'm the one with the hang-up. It would really bother me to buy something month after month instead of cooking it myself....I am a stay-at-home mom, after all. People might start to wonder what I do all day!
In addition to our morning fare, I also agreed to bring dinner to a couple in our class who was recently blessed with a new baby girl. This arrangement was made complete with ulterior motives, however. I get to hold a baby! I can't wait for them to meet me at the door, take the food out of my hands, and hand over the baby. That is, of course, unless she's one of those new moms who doesn't let anyone hold the baby for the first month or something crazy like that. I have 4 kids for Pete's sake...that should grant me holding rights on newborns. Right??
Anyway...here are the recipes of what I've been cooking up today. Hope you like them!
(Both of the following recipes are variations of recipes found on allrecipes.com.)
Breakfast:
Cream Cheese Danish Squares
2 cans refrigerated crescent rolls
2 (8oz) pkgs. cream cheese - softened
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup margarine, melted
1/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 inch pan. Press one can of the crescent rolls into the bottom of the prepared pan. In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Spread over the crescent rolls in pan. Unroll the second can of crescent rolls and lay them on top of the cream cheese layer. Do not press down. Pour the melted butter over the entire pan. (It looks like too much, just trust me!) Combine the remaining sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the top. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown and all butter is absorbed. Top will be crispy.
Variation - Before adding the final layer of crescent rolls, spoon on a layer of your favorite fruit preserves. Also, you could skip the butter and cinnamon/sugar mixture all together. Instead bake without, and make a glaze using powdered sugar and milk. Drizzle on glaze after they have slightly cooled.
(These things are sooo delicious, you need to go to church because the guilt will be more than you can handle.)
I also served the following:
Grits and Sausage Casserole
1 lb bulk sausage (I used turkey)
4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt (to taste)
1 cup quick cooking grits
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese ( I used a blend of cheddar and M. Jack)
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup half & half
1/4 cup butter
Crumble sausage into a large skillet. Cook over medium heat until no longer pink; drain and set aside. In a saucepan, bring water and salt to a boil. Slowly stir in grits. Reduce heat and cook 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste to adjust salt. Remove from heat when grits are tender. Stir a small amount of hot grits into the eggs to temper them; return to saucepan, stirring constantly. Add the sausage, cheese, milk and butter, stirring until all is well blended. Pour into a greased 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle top with additional cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until the top begins to turn brown.
Dinner for the new parents:
Mixed Green Salad
Sausage and Broccoli Fettuccine Parmesan
Garlic Bread
Banana Pudding
The Sausage and Broccoli Fettuccine Parmesan is a new recipe from a cookbook I got for Christmas. If it's a hit, I'll post that tomorrow. I've already prepared the salad, and banana pudding; now I need to make the bread and pasta. Oh yeah, and clean the royal mess I've made in the kitchen.
Wish me luck!
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Wishing everyone a very Happy New Year. I pray that you all have a prosperous and blessed 2009. I'm really not sure about the direction this blog is going to take...if I continue it at all. I'm thinking of just posting weekly meal plans and recipes that our family is eating with the occasional random peeks into our lives. I don't know...we'll see what tomorrow holds.
As for now, sorry I haven't been writing as much as usual. Christmas time is usually very busy in our home and this year was no different. The Christmas season ushers in my birthday as well, and this year, unfortunately, the death of my grandmother. She was well loved and will be very missed by her friends and family. She lived a long, happy, 89 years, and has gone on to be with the Lord. I was very sad that she didn't get to have one last Christmas, but the truth is, she probably had the best Christmas ever. What could be better than celebrating Christmas at the feet of Jesus?
I love you Gramma!!
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