Maberry Memoir

Italian Chicken Vegetable Soup by Dawn Dixon

2011-05-19T11:42:00.001-05:00

4 chicken breasts in 1" cubes
2 cans chicken broth
2 cans Italian tomatoes with garlic and onions
3 sliced carrots
1 chopped onion
2 zucchini, halved and sliced
10 oz frozen green beans

Saute chicken cubes in olive oil for 10 minutes, then add carrots and onion. Saute 3 minutes and then add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer 30 minutes and serve with parmesan.

**A very hearty soup from a good friend I met while student teaching in Monett. Very filling and great on a cold day!

Crock Pot Cake

2011-05-19T11:40:00.002-05:00

1 box chocolate cake mix
4 large eggs
3/4 c oil
1 c water
1 pt sour cream
1 small box instant chocolate pudding
1 bag chocolate chips

Mix first 6 items on low until mixed well. Add chocolate chips by hand. Spray a large crock pot with non-stick spray. Cook on low 4 to 5 hours. DO NOT OPEN THE LID! Serve with vanilla ice cream and drizzle with chocolate syrup, if desired.

**I saw this recipe and had to try it. Makes a very moist, fudgy cake.

Crock Pot Round Steak

2011-05-19T11:38:00.001-05:00

2# round steak
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 pkg onion soup mix
1 c water

Mix soups and water together. Pour over meat. Slow cook all day until tender. Makes great gravy.

**I love to cook with the crock pot and this made some very tender meat with a delicious gravy. Serve with hot noodles or mashed potatoes.

Baked Italian-Style Meatballs

2011-05-19T11:37:00.002-05:00

1 pkg. stuffing mix for chicken
2# ground beef
1 1/4 c water
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cloves minced garlic
1/3 c grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400. Place all ingredients in a large bowl; mix until well blended. Shape into 24 meatballs, using about 1/4 cup of the meat mixture for each meatball. Place in a single layer on foil-lined baking pans. Bake 20 minutes or until cooked through.

**The stuffing mix makes these so moist. Would also work for a meatloaf recipe. Be sure to spray the foil so the meatballs don't stick.

Tasty Onion Chicken

2011-05-19T11:34:00.002-05:00

1/2 c melted butter
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp ground mustard
1 can French fried onions, crushed
4 chicken breasts

In a shallow bowl, combine butter, Worcestershire sauce and mustard. Place onions in another bowl. Dip chicken in butter mixture, then coat with onions. Place in a greased 9x13 baking dish; drizzle with remaining butter mixture. Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is done.

**Another very easy recipe. Love the onions! They add just the right flavor and crunch.

Very Veggie Stir-Fry

2011-05-19T11:32:00.003-05:00

2 T cornstarch
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 can vegetable broth
1 T soy sauce
3 T oil
1# chicken, cut into strips
5 c mixed vegetables (onions, peppers, mushrooms, zucchini, carrots, etc.)
1 clove minced garlic

Stir the cornstarch, ginger, vegetable broth and soy sauce together until smooth. Set aside. Heat 2T of the oil in a wok or skillet and stir-fry the chicken until browned. Remove and set aside. Add the remaining oil to the skillet and stir fry the vegetables and garlic until tender-crisp. Reduce heat to medium. Add the cooked chicken and the broth mixture. Stir-fry constantly until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens. Serve hot.

**My first attempt at stir-fry and it was delicious and very easy. The vegetable broth was hard to find but I think any kind of broth would do.

Easy Parmesan Garlic Chicken by Jane Clifton

2011-05-19T11:30:00.001-05:00

1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese
1 envelope Good Seasons Italian dressing mix
6 chicken breasts (about 2#)
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Mix cheese, garlic powder and salad dressing mix. Moisten chicken with water; coat with cheese mixture. Place in shallow baking dish and bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

**This recipe is from my sister. The Italian dressing really added a lot of flavor to the chicken.

Peanut Butter Pie

2011-05-19T11:28:00.002-05:00

1/2 c creamy peanut butter
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c milk
1/2 c sugar
8 oz Cool Whip
9 inch graham cracker crust
Garnishes: additional Cool Whip, baking cocoa, chopped peanuts (optional)

Beat peanut butter and cream cheese in a bowl until creamy. Gradually add sugar and milk, beating until smooth. Fold in whipped topping; pour into pie crust. Freeze about 30 minutes. Garnish as desired. Store in the refrigerator. Serves 6-8.

**Very simple recipe. I think it is even better with 3/4 to 1 c of peanut better.

Cheese, Mushroom 'n Bacon Pie

2011-05-19T11:24:00.002-05:00

3 garlic cloves
4 bacon strips, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1# sliced fresh mushrooms
1/4 c finely chopped sweet onion
3 eggs
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 refrigerated pie crust
1/4 c shredded sharp cheddar
2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese
1/8 tsp paprika

In a large skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Remove and drain on paper towels reserving 2 tsp. drippings in skillet. Saute mushrooms, onion and garlic in drippings until tender. In a large bowl, beat eggs until foamy. Add softened cream cheese and beat well. Mix in salt, pepper and mushroom mixture. Unroll pie crust in 9" pie plate; trim and flute edge. Fill with cheddar cheese and bacon. Pour egg mixture over the top. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and paprika. Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let rest for 15 minutes before serving.

**BEST quiche I have ever eaten! I used the pre-cooked bacon to save on the prep and cleanup. Absolutely delicious!

One-Skillet Pasta

2011-05-19T11:21:00.002-05:00

2# ground turkey
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 medium sweet red pepper, finely chopped
28 oz. diced tomatoes
1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 can beef broth
1 can sliced mushrooms
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp chili powder
8 oz spaghetti
1 c shredded cheddar

Brown turkey, onion and pepper in a large skillet. Add tomatoes, broth, mushrooms, brown sugar and chili powder. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add pasta; return to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30-35 minutes or until pasta is tender. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover and cook 2-3 minutes until cheese is melted.

**The fire-roasted tomatoes and brown sugar give this just the right sugar and spice. Using turkey makes it a leaner option.

Pizza Meat Loaf Cups

2011-05-19T11:19:00.001-05:00

1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup pizza sauce
1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 1/2# ground beef
1 1/2 c mozzarella cheese

In a large bowl, combine the beaten egg, pizza sauce, bread crumbs and Italian seasoning. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Divide between 12 greased muffin cups; press onto bottom and up the sides. Fill the center with cheese. Bake at 375 for 15-18 minutes or until meat is no longer pink. Serve immediately with additional pizza sauce if desired. Or cool, place in freezer bags and freeze for up to 3 months. To use frozen pizza cups, thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Heat in microwave for 2-3 minutes.

**Could also be made into a meatloaf or meatballs. Very moist.

Tuna Mac and Cheese Bake

2011-05-19T11:16:00.002-05:00

1 pkg macaroni and cheese dinner mix
1 can tuna, drained
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 1/3 c milk
18 oz. frozen peas
1 can mushrooms, drained
1 can French-fried onions

Prepare mac and cheese according to package directions. Add the tuna, soup, milk, peas, mushrooms and half the fried onions. Place in a greased 9x13 baking dish. Bake uncovered at 325 for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining fried onions; bake 5 minutes longer.

**Super easy and ingredients are usually on the shelf. The fried onions really gave it a little extra something special. Any veggies would work, but the peas were great.

Enchilada Casserole from Taste of Home magazine

2011-01-17T17:17:00.002-06:00

1 1/2# hamburger
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup water
2-3T chili powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2c salsa, divided
10 flour tortillas, cut into 3/4 inch strips, divided
8oz sour cream
2 cans corn
4c shredded mozzarella

Cook beef and onion; drain. Stir in water, chili powder, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered for 10 minutes. Place 1/4 cup salsa each in two greased 8-inch square baking dishes. Layer each dish with a fourth of the tortillas and 1/4 cup salsa. Divide meat mixture, sour cream and corn between the two casseroles. Top with remaining tortillas, salsa and cheese.

Cover and freeze one casserole for up to 1 month. Cover and bake second casserole at 350 for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake 5-10 minutes.

To use frozen casserole: Thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake as directed above.

**This is one of those great cook-once-eat-twice recipes. Extremely easy and very tasty. I left out the onion (used minced instead) and only used 1 can of corn and it worked out great. Joy really liked this one!

Slow Cooker Cheese Stuffed Meatballs by Paula Deen

2010-12-14T08:37:00.002-06:00

1# ground beef
1# ground pork
4T parmesan cheese
1 to 1 1/2 c. Italian bread crumbs
3 large eggs
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cloves garlic
1T basil
1/4 c parsley
1/2 tsp oregano
4 oz mozzarella, divided into 12 pieces
3T olive oil
2 jars of spaghetti sauce

In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, ground pork, Parmesan, eggs, salt, pepper, garlic, basil, parsley and oregano. Add bread crumbs 1/2 cup at a time until mixture is not too wet and can be formed into balls easily. Form mixture into 12 balls using your thumb to press a hole in the center. Insert a piece of the mozzarella in the hole and close the hole by pushing the meatball mixture around it. Cook meatballs in oil until just browned. Transfer meatballs to slow cooker and pour spaghetti sauce over meatballs. Cook on low for approximately 5 hours. Serve with sauce over spaghetti noodles.

**This was the best meatball recipe I have tried. I think the ground pork made the difference because the meatballs were much more moist. I tried using mozzarella string cheese inside the meatballs but I would recommend buying fresh mozzarella instead as it is softer. This makes a large meal.

Best Ever Meatloaf from allrecipes.com

2010-09-12T19:23:00.002-05:00

1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 cup tomato juice
3/4 cup oats
1 egg
1/4 cup onion
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Combine all ingredients and combine in loaf pan. Bake at 350 for 1 hour or until no longer pink. Drain. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

**I love meatloaf but most of the recipes I have tried usually end up too dry. This one was very moist, even on the second day. Maybe the difference was the tomato juice? Also, I got one of those double meatloaf pans from Target for a Christmas gift from my sister. The grease all drains into the bottom pan and it is wonderful.

BBQ Chicken Cheddar Pita Pizzas

2010-09-06T13:29:00.002-05:00

6 pita rounds
1# or more finely chopped cooked chicken, approx. 3 cups
1 cup shredded cheddar
3/4 cup BBQ sauce
1/3 cup real bacon bits
1/4 cup sliced green onion

Preheat oven to 400F. Thin BBQ sauce with water for drizzling consistency. Divide toppings evenly over pitas in this order: chicken, bacon, BBQ sauce, cheese and onion. Bake 8-10 minutes, until cheese is melted.

***Joy and I loved these. Super easy and quick. You could probably use the pitas to make any kind of pizza you like. I used real bacon I had cooked and crumbed instead of the bacon bits and I also sprinkled a little mozzarella as well.

Chicken Alfredo Pizza from "Don't Panic, Dinner's in the Freezer"

2010-08-09T18:05:00.002-05:00

1/4 cup butter
1 cup heavy cream (I use half and half)
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1 pizza crust
10 large fresh spinach leaves
6 green onions, sliced
2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1/2 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 cup grated mozzarella
1 cup grated Swiss

Melt butter in saucepan. Add cream and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring continuously. Add Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Turn off heat under pan. Spread alfredo sauce evenly over pizza crust. Top with spinach, onions, chicken and bacon. Sprinkle with cheeses. Bake at 450 for 15 minutes.

**My absolute favorite homemade pizza. I leave out the onions and have used frozen spinach before. Also good with mushrooms, olives, whatever you like. I never buy the Swiss cheese; I just use 2 cups of mozzarella instead. Delicious!

Fruit Slush

2010-08-07T09:31:00.002-05:00

40 oz. fruit cocktail, in syrup
10 oz. sliced, sweetened, frozen strawberries
12 oz. frozen orange juice concentrate
20 oz. crushed pineapple, in juice
3 bananas, diced

Partially thaw strawberries so they can be separated. Mix all the ingredients together including all the juices from the canned and frozen fruits. Pour into suitable containers for your family. Label and freeze. To serve, thaw 10-15 minutes before needed - it should be slushy.

**Fresh fruits may be added to your liking. Small styrofoam cups work well. I made these for the camping trip and they were a big hit! Great for a hot summer day!

Strawberry Cake by Ona Batson

2010-08-07T09:28:00.002-05:00

1 box white cake mix
1 box strawberry jello mix
1/2 cup water
4 eggs (beat in one at a time)
1/2 cup fresh or frozen strawberries
1/2 cup oil

Mix dry jello and cake mix before adding other ingredients. Mix well. Bake at 350 degrees for 350-40 minutes.

Frosting:
1 box powdered sugar
1 stick butter, softened
1/2 cup strawberries

Cream together butter and powdered sugar; fold in strawberries.

**This is an old recipe from my grandmother. I made these for the camping trip in little muffins and omitted the frosting. Yummy and easy.

Mexican Lasagna for Mother's Day

2010-05-10T17:55:00.002-05:00

2# ground beef
16 oz. refried beans
4 oz. chopped green chiles
1 envelope taco seasoning
2 T hot salsa
4 c shredded colby-monterey jack cheese
12 oz uncooked lasagna noodles
16 oz. mild salsa
2 c water
2 c sour cream
1 small can sliced olives, drained (optional)
green onion and tomato, chopped (optional)

Brown beef and drain. Stir in beans, chiles, taco seasoning and hot salsa. In greased 13x9 dish, layer noodles and meat sauce. Sprinkle with 1 cup of cheese. Repeat.

Combine mild salsa and water; pour over top. Cover and bake @ 350F for 1 hour. Top with sour cream, olives, tomatoes, onions and remaining cheese. Bake uncovered 15 minutes. Wait 15 minutes before serving.

**This was EXCELLENT. Makes 12 servings. I prepared it 2 days in advance for mother's day and finished it off with the sour cream layer just before eating. No need to cook the noodles - love it!

Chicken Taco Soup by Jennifer Carter

2010-04-08T13:46:00.002-05:00

1 can chili beans
1 can black beans
1 can corn, drained
1 can tomato sauce
2 cans Rotel
1 pkg. taco seasoning
1 pkg. ranch dressing ix
3 chicken breasts
Optional: shredded cheese, sour cream, tortilla chips

Combine first 7 ingredients in crockpot. Place chicken breasts in mixture and press down until completely covered. Cook on high for 5 hours. Remove chicken and shred with a fork. Return chicken to soup and cook for another hour. Chicken broth may be added to taste, if desired. Serve over crushed tortilla chips and top with sour cream and cheese.

**This recipe is from a friend at church. It doesn't get any easier than this!

Zucchini Casserole by Tara Thompson

2010-04-08T13:44:00.002-05:00

6 c zucchini, sliced thin (about 3 zucchini)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 small container sour cream
1 cup carrots, shredded
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 pkg. Stove Top

Boil zucchini 5 minutes in salted water. Drain. Combine soup and sour cream and stir into zucchini. Mix in carrots and onion. In separate bowl, combine butter and dressing. Place half of dressing into greased baking dish. Pour zucchini mix on top and then add remaining dressing. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

**I got this recipe from the Lawrence County Record cookbook. Excellent side dish! I didn't layer it - just put all the dressing on top.

Delaware Chicken Divan by Debbie Bussman

2010-04-08T13:41:00.002-05:00

2 pkg. frozen broccoli cuts (lightly steamed)
1 1/2 c. cooked chicken cut in pieces

Sauce:
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 c. margarine
2 T lemon juice
2 T chicken broth
1/4 c. parmesan cheese

Arrange broccoli on bottom of buttered casserole dish. Sprinkle chicken over broccoli. Combine sauce ingredients and spoon over top. Bake uncovered at 350 for 30 minutes.

**I was given this recipe at a wedding shower....just now trying it 18 years later! It is very yummy. You could also stir the whole thing together and bake it instead of layering.

Baked stew by Chris Newkirk

2010-01-30T11:22:00.002-06:00

2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 pkg. smoked kielbasa, chopped
5 potatoes, diced
4 carrots, diced
3 onions, diced
1 cup green beans
3/4 lb. mushrooms, halved (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a 13x9 baking dish. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 1 1/2 hours. Stir and bake another 30 minutes uncovered or until veggies are tender.

**I had this at a women's ministry event and it was incredible! Very hearty and delicious. Joy isn't much of a "soup" man but he really liked this one. It is thick and full of meat and veggies.

Colorful chicken casserole

2010-01-30T11:18:00.002-06:00

1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped green pepper
3/4 cup chopped onion
2 Tbsp. butter
1 cup chicken broth
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup frozen peas
1 tsp. salt, optional
1/4 tsp. pepper
3 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 pkg (7 oz) spaghetti or elbow macaroni, cooked and drained
1 jar sliced mushrooms
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Saute celery, green pepper and onion in butter. Add broth, soup, corn, peas, salt and pepper; heat through. Stir in chicken and noodles. Divide between two baking dishes and top with mushrooms and cheese. Cover and freeze one casserole for up to 3 months. Cover and bake the second casserole at 350 for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 minutes longer. To use frozen casserole, remove from freezer 30 minutes before baking. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 minutes longer.

**I love make-ahead recipes and this one was very good. I left out the onion and green pepper as usual. I didn't have enough chicken so I added some leftover turkey. The original recipe seemed a little dry so I added the cream of chicken soup. Cook the noodles a little underdone so they won't be mushy after freezing.

New recips I tried for Christmas

2010-01-05T12:34:00.002-06:00

I cooked and cooked and cooked over Christmas! My family came to visit for about a week so I prepared as much as I cook ahead of time. There were too many recipes to put in one post so scroll down to find them all. Hope you try some for yourself!

Slow cooker chicken pozole by Jane Clifton

2010-01-05T12:32:00.002-06:00

1 1/2# boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 can hominy
1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
1 can white corn, drained
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 cans Rotel
2 cans chicken broth
1/2 envelope taco seasoning mix, more or less to taste
1 large onion or 2 Tbsp. minced onion
sour cream, chopped green onion, shredded Monterey jack cheese, corn chips (optional)

Mix all ingredients except optional items in slow cooker and cook 8 hours on low/medium. Just before serving, remove chicken and cut into bite sized pieces. Return to slower cooker. Serve with optional items as desired.

**Joy is not big on soup but he liked this one. This is my sister's recipe and it is very hearty. I don't care for hominy so I used 2 cans of corn instead. It doesn't get much easier than this!

Teriyaki chicken by Jaclynn Clifton

2010-01-05T12:30:00.002-06:00

1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
1/8 cup honey
1 Tbsp. ginger
4 chicken breasts

Mix the sauce, honey and ginger together in a ziplock bag. Add chicken breasts and let marinate for 4-6 hours, flipping the bag every couple of hours to spread the sauce on both sides. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

**My niece Jaclynn's recipe. Easy, quick and moist!

Italian meatloaf by Wilma Jenkins

2010-01-05T12:28:00.002-06:00

2# ground beef
1 egg
3/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
15 oz. tomato sauce
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 cups shredded cheddar

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Divide into fourths and shape into loaves. Place on greased broiler pan. Bake at 350 for 60-75 minutes.

**One of my mom's recipes. I love meatloaf and this one is pretty good. Save a little of the tomato sauce to pour over the loaves before baking.

Sausage pizza biscuit wraps

2010-01-05T12:26:00.002-06:00

1 tube sausage, browned
mozzarella cheese
pizza sauce
jumbo biscuits

Press biscuits into a 5 inch round. Top with sauce, meat and cheese. Seal edges with fork. Bake at 400 for 10-13 minutes.

**I didn't fold these in half but made mini pizzas instead. Any kind of meat could be used (hamburger, ham, Italian sausage, etc.). Quick and easy.

Bacon cheese stromboli by Abby Thompson

2010-01-05T12:24:00.002-06:00

1 tube refrigerated pizza dough
3/4 cup shredded cheddar
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella
5 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

Roll pizza dough into a 12 inch circle. On one half of dough, sprinkle cheeses and back to within half an inch of the edges. Fold dough over filling; pinch edges to seal. Bake at 425 for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with salsa and sour cream if desired.

**I froze this in wax paper. To serve, let thaw in refrigerator and then bake as usual. I used probably twice as much bacon as the recipe called for. Quick and easy for breakfast.

Cheeseburger Soup

2010-01-05T12:21:00.002-06:00

1/2 lb. ground beef
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup carrots
3/4 cup celery
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried parsley flakes
4 Tbsp. butter
3 cups chicken broth
4 cups diced, peeled potatoes
1/4 cup flour
8 oz. Velveeta
1 1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup sour cream
salt and pepper

Brown beef; drain; set aside. Saute onions, carrots, celery, basil and parsley in butter until tender. Add broth, potatoes and beef; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer about 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender. In a small skillet, melt butter. Add flour; cook and stir for 3-5 minutes or until bubbly. Add to soup; bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Add cheese, milk, salt and pepper. When cheese is melted, remove from heat and blend in sour cream.

**I made this hearty soup ahead and froze it as well. Excellent! I left out the onion as usual and used southern style hash brown potatoes.

Farmer's Casserole

2010-01-05T12:18:00.003-06:00

6 cups frozen shredded hash brown potatoes
1 cup grated Monterey jack with jalapeno peppers
1 cup diced fully cooked ham
1/4 cup sliced green onion
4 beaten eggs
1 can evaporated milk
salt & pepper

Grease 13x9 baking dish. Arrange potatoes evenly on bottom of the dish. Sprinkle with cheese, ham and green onion. Combine eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Pour egg mixture over potato mixture in dish. Freeze. To prepare to serve, thaw and preheat oven to 350. Bake, uncovered for 40-45 minutes or until center appears set. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

**This is another recipe I made ahead. We had it for dinner but it would also work very well for a breakfast dish. I left out the onion and used colby/jack cheese instead.

Amish Bread for bread machine

2010-01-05T12:02:00.002-06:00

2 3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup oil
1 tsp. yeast
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
18 Tbsp. warm water

Place ingredients in bread machine in order listed. Select white bread cycle and press start. When the dough has raised once and second cycle of kneading begins, turn machine off. Reset by pressing start once again. This gives the dough two full raising cycles before the final raising cycle prior to baking.

**Everyone loved this bread. It is lighter than the white bread recipe that came with my bread machine. I didn't remember to reset the machine for the second raising cycle but it still turned out fine.

Breakfast McBiscuits by the 30 Day Gourmet

2010-01-05T12:00:00.003-06:00

1 dozen jumbo biscuits or English muffins
24 precooked bacon slices or 12 ham slices or 12 sausage patties
1 dozen eggs, scrambled, fried or poached
12 slices cheese

Split muffins or baked biscuits. Top with your choice of topping combinations. Be creative! Wrap individually, label and freeze. To serve, place thawed, foil-wrapped biscuit in oven and warm at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or wrap in a paper towel and microwave a few minutes.

**I made this ahead of Christmas with English muffins and Canadian bacon. They were surprisingly fantastic and a hit with my family.

Raspberry swirl cheesecake pie

2010-01-05T11:57:00.002-06:00

1 package cream cheese
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 egg
1 chocolate or graham pie crust
1/2 cup seedless red raspberry preserves

Beat cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually add sweetened condensed milk and 3 Tbsp. of lemon juice. Add egg, beating until just combined. Pour half of cream cheese mixture into crust. In small bowl, combine preserves and remaining lemon juice. Spoon half of preserves mixture over cream cheese mixture in crust. Top with remaining cream cheese mixture and remaining preserves mixture. Use knife or narrow spatula to swirl preserves into cream cheese mixture. Bake at 300 degrees for 50-55 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on wire rack for 1 hour. Refrigerate at least 3 hours.

**Good and easy. Any kind of preserves will work in this recipe.

Scalloped potatoes and pork chops

2010-01-05T11:55:00.003-06:00

6 medium potatoes, washed and sliced thin
1 medium onion sliced into thin rings
1 pork chop for each family member (approx. 6)
1 can cream of mushroom soup or your favorite cream soup
1/2 can milk
salt & pepper

Layer potatoes & onions in bottom of crockpot. Arrange chops on top. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour soup and milk over chops and cover. Cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 4 hours, or until potatoes are tender. The juices make wonderful scalloped potatoes.

**This one was very good. I left out the onions as usual. Be sure to slice the potatoes thin or they won't be done.

Sour cream coffee cake by Kathleen Larimer

2010-01-05T11:51:00.002-06:00

2/3 cup chopped pecans
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
8 oz. sour cream

In a small bowl, combine the nuts, brown sugar and cinnamon; set aside. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream. Pour half the batter into a greased bundt pan; sprinkle with half of the pecan mixture. Gently top with remaining batter and pecan mixture. Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from bundt pan.

**I substituted chopped cashews for the pecans. This cake was fantastic. Very moist. It didn't last 24 hours with the crew I had in for Christmas.

Bread machine rolls by Marie Dwyier

2010-01-05T11:49:00.002-06:00

9 ounces warm water (1 cup plus 2 Tbsp.)
3 cups bread flour
2 Tbsp. dry milk
3 1/2 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. butter
2 tsp. yeast

Add ingredients to bread machine pan in order listed. Use dough setting on bread machine. When done, place dough on floured surface. Let rest 15 minutes. Finish as desired. Place on greased baking pans of sheets; cover and let rise in a warm place until double in size, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Brush with butter and bake in a 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes.

**Joy's grandma has used this recipe to make the best rolls for years. So easy and yummy!

Sweet Dinner Rolls by Donna West

2010-01-05T11:45:00.003-06:00

1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup warm milk
1 egg
1/3 cup softened butter
1/3 cup white sugar
1 tsp. salt
3 3/4 cups flour
1 package yeast

Place all ingredients in order in bread machine. Select dough/knead. When cycle finishes, turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide in half. Roll each half into a 12 inch circle. Cut each circle into 8 wedges and roll tightly. Cover and let rise 1 hour in warm place. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes.

**I deviated from the instructions and pinched the dough off into balls. I froze the balls in a ziplock bag. On Christmas Eve, I let the dough thaw in the refrigerator and then used the balls to make monkey bread, our traditional breakfast meal on Christmas morning, also known as Jesus' Birthday Cake.

Duggar Homemade Rolls by Michelle Duggar

2010-01-05T11:41:00.002-06:00

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 pkg. yeast
2 cups flour

Combine first 5 ingredients in large bowl and cut with pastry cutter.

2 eggs beat in 2 cup measuring cup, fill cup to 2 cup mark with hot water. Pour over dry mixture.

Slowly add 3 cups flour. Cover and let rise 20 minutes in warm oven. Pour onto floured surface. Knead. Flatten with hands into large pizza shape. Cut with pizza cutter in to 16 slices. Roll up from wide end to point. Place in greased pans leaving space for rolls to double in size. Cover and let rise in warm oven at least 20 minutes. Remove from oven. Preheat oven to 375. Bake 20-30 minutes. Immediately brush with melted butter.

**I found this recipe in the Duggar's website. Very good rolls! I tried making this recipe in the bread machine but it did not turn out. Best to use with a mixer.

Jean's Favorite Cheese Soup by Jean Roy

2009-12-12T14:29:00.003-06:00

1 1/2 quart water
2 1/2 cubed potatoes
1 cup celery, diced
1 cup onion, diced
4 chicken bouillon cubes
1 bag frozen California-style vegetables
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 pound Velveeta

Cook water, potatoes, celery, onion and bouillon cubes for 20 minutes. Add vegetables and cook until tender. Add chicken soup and Velveeta; simmer and stir.

**I used frozen hash brown potatoes (half a bag) and this turned out wonderfully. Joy isn't a big soup eater but he really liked this one. Very thick and hearty. I found this recipe in the holiday cookbook put out by the Sarcoxie/Pierce City/Jasper newspapers. Whoever Jean is, she makes a mean bowl of soup!

BBQ Pork Chops by Wilma Jenkins

2009-12-12T14:27:00.003-06:00

BBQ Pork Chops

4-6 pork chops
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup ketchup
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup chopped onion

Mix and pour over meat. Bake 2 hours at 375.

**This is an old recipe of my mom's. She was one heck of a good cook and if she said something was "good", then it is truly GOOD. I actually cooked this one in the crockpot instead of the oven and it was very good and tender. In the Maberry household, you can't go wrong with ketchup and cream of mushroom soup! haha

Blueberry Zucchini Bread by Amanda McCullah

2009-12-05T14:05:00.002-06:00

BLUEBERRY ZUCCHINI BREAD

3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup oil
3 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups sugar
2 cups shredded zucchini
3 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
1 pint fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease 2 loaf pans. Beat together eggs, oil, vanilla and sugar. Fold in zucchini. Beat in flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon. Gently fold in blueberries. Pour in pans. Sprinkle with oatmeal crunch topping (see below). Bake 50 minutes or until done.

OATMEAL CRUNCH TOPPING
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup oats
1 Tbsp. cinnamon

Mix brown sugar and flour, cut in butter. Add oats and cinnamon.

***I received this recipe from a dear friend and made it for my Christmas tea. It is excellent and very moist (my regular zucchini bread recipe is a little on the dry side). The blueberries and oatmeal crumb topping gives it that "something extra". I used my very own home grown zucchini from the garden this summer.

New recipes I tried for Thanksgiving

2009-11-23T10:44:00.003-06:00

CARAMEL NUT DELIGHTS
1 package caramels
1 1/2 Tbsp. evaporated milk
2 cup nuts (I used cashews)
10 ounces almond bark

Line 2 baking sheets with waxed paper and butter slightly. Melt caramels and evaporated milk, stirring frequently. Quickly stir in nuts. Drop by rounded teaspoonfulls onto the buttered wax paper. Allow to cool. Melt almond bark and dip caramels in chocolate to coat. Place on waxed paper until chocolate is set.

PUMPKIN BARS (more like cake)
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. EACH ground cloves, ginger and nutmeg
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
3 large eggs
1 cup pumpkin (not pie filling)
3/4 cup milk
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Heat oven to 350. Coat a 15x10x1 jelly roll pan with cooking spray. Line bottom and sides with wax paper; coat paper with spray. Beat butter and sugar until smooth. Add eggs and pumpkin. Add dry ingredients alternating with milk. Stir in nuts. Bake 20 minutes. Let cool and ice with cream cheese icing. (8 ounces cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, 3 cups powdered sugar).

TURTLE PUMPKIN PIE
1/4 cup caramel ice cream topping
1 graham cracker crust
1 cup cold milk
2 pkg. vanilla pudding
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tub cool whip

Pour caramel into crust. Sprinkle with chopped nuts if desired. Beat milk, pudding mixes, pumpkin and spices until well blended. Stir in cool whip. Pour into pie crust. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.

EASY CAULIFLOWER & BROCCOLI AU GRATIN
1 package frozen cauliflower
1 package frozen broccoli
4 ounces cream cheese
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cup sharp cheddar

Microwave vegetables until tender. Mix cream cheese and milk until well blended. Add sour cream. Pour over vegetables and sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Microwave 2 minutes or until cheese is melted.

SALSA ROLL-UPS
1 package cream cheese
1/2 cup salsa
1 cup shredded cheese
chili powder
4 flour tortillas

Stir cream cheese and salsa together. Spread on tortillas and sprinkle with cheese and chili powder. Roll up and slice. Refrigerate.

SAUSAGE HASH BROWN CASSEROLE
2 lbs. sausage, browned
2 cups shredded cheddar
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
8 oz. French onion dip
30 oz. frozen hash brown potatoes
onion, bell pepper if desired

Combine cheese, chicken soup, sour cream, dip, onion, peppers, salt and pepper. Fold in thawed potatoes. Mix well. Spread half of hash brown mixture into bottom of 9x13 pan. Sprinkle with half of sausage. Repeat layers. Bake at 350 for about 1 hour or until casserole is golden brown. Can be made ahead and frozen.

Pork Chops, Potatoes & Gravy. Oh. My. Gosh.

2009-09-28T09:33:00.002-05:00

***Warning : this recipe is EXTREMELY good! Be prepared to eat so much you will feel miserable!

8 medium potatoes
1/2 medium onion
salt and pepper to taste
white sauce (see recipe below)
1 cup flour
2 Tbsp. seasoned salt
8 por chops
1/3 cup oil

White sauce:
1 stick butter
1/2 cup flour
1-2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
4 cups milk
parsley/chives (optional)
Melt butter; remove from heat. Stir in flour; add salt and pepper. Return to heat and cook, stirring constantly, until bubbly. Add milk, 1 cup at a time. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and simmer 1-2 minutes, then let stand at least 1-2 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350. Peel potatoes and slice. Place in well greased 9x13 pan. Cover with onion, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover potatoes with white sauce. Cover casserole dish with plastic wrap and microwave for 5 minutes on high or bake uncovered for 15 minutes. Mix together flour and seasoned salt. Dredge pork chops in flour mixture; lightly brown in oil. As chops are removed from frying pan, lay them on top of potatoes. Bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes. Serves 8.

**Many thanks to Paula Deen for creating this recipe, Ginia Oehlschlager for sharing this recipe and Jessicca Oehlschlager for preparing this recipe. IT WAS INCREDIBLE!!!! The kind of stick-to-your ribs meal that everyone loves!

Fiesta Chicken Casserole

2009-09-28T09:29:00.002-05:00

1 package refrigerated pie crusts (2 crusts)
1 jar (16 oz.) salsa
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 package (24 oz) frozen corn
2 big cans of chicken, drained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

Preheat oven to 400. Let the pie crusts stand at room temperature for 15 minutes or until they are easy to handle. Stir the salsa, soup, sour cream, cheese, corn, chicken and beans in a large bowl. Spoon into 13x9 baking dish. Unfold the pie crusts on a lightly floured surface. Lay the crusts side by side so that they overlap by about 3 inches in the center. Press the seam to seal. Roll the pie crust into a 14x10 rectangle. Place the pie crust over the chicken mixture. Cut several slits in the pie crust. Bake for 40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.

**I got this recipe from the coupon insert in the Sunday paper and it was yummy! It would be easy to make and freeze ahead. It would be good with homemade crust and you could use boiled chicken instead of canned also. However, following the recipe "as is" was very quick and easy.

Fresh Apple Coffee Cake by Mrs. Martin Kleiboeker

2009-08-15T13:21:00.002-05:00

2 c. sugar
3 c. flour
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 c. coconut (optional)
3 c. apples, peeled and chopped
1 1/2 c. oil
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 c. nuts (optional)

Combnie sugar, flour, soda, salt and cinnamon. Add oil, eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Add apples. Add coconut and nuts if desired. Grease and flour bread pan. Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

**This is a recipe from the Freistatt cookbook and it is EXCELLENT. I omitted the coconut and nuts but added about 1/2 cup of craisins. I also sprinkled the top with some sugar for that coffee cake "crust". I never peel the apples when I bake bread and it always turns out great.

One-Pan Taco Beef and Noodle Skillet

2009-07-28T10:19:00.002-05:00

1# lean ground beef
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix
2 cups water
1 box macaroni & cheese
1/3 cup sour cream
1 large tomato, chopped
1 cup shredded lettuce
1 cup tortilla chips, broken up

Brown meat. Add seasoning mix, water and macaroni. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover. Simmer 7 minutes or ntil noodles are tender and liquid is almost completely absorbed. Stir in sour cream and cheese mix from macaroni box. Top with tomatoes, lettuce and tortilla chips.

**This ended up very much like Hamburger Helper. Joy loved it and declared it "a keeper". Quick and easy and the ingredients are stuff you probably have around the house.

Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes by Ginia Oehlschlager

2009-06-19T12:29:00.003-05:00

10# potatoes
2 eggs
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 cup butter
2 tsp salt
16 oz. cream cheese

Peel and quarter potatoes. Cover completely with water in saucepan. Boil and cook gently until tender. Drain well. In large bowl, combine potatoes with other ingredients. Mash well. Spoon into well greezed 3 qt. or 9x13 pans. Refrigerate up to 2 days or freeze. To bake: thaw. Bake at 375 for 30-40 minutes or until top is golden.

**I had a big bag of potatoes that needed to be used up and this recipe was a great way to do it. I left out the eggs (something about uncooked eggs freaks me out) and added some extra butter and some leftover heavy whipping cream that I had in the fridge. Creamy, yummy goodness! Great with the stroganoff (see recipe below).

Crockpot Stroganoff by Theresa Barnett

2009-06-19T12:26:00.002-05:00

1# lean beef cut diagonally into very thin strips
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can water
small can mushrooms (undrained, optional)
1 pkg. onion soup mix
2 cups uncooked noodles
1 carton (8 oz.) sour cream

Place beef into crockpot. Add soup, water and onion soup mix. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4 hours. Add noodles. Cook an additional 30 minutes or until noodles are done. Stir in sour cream before serving.

**I used stew meat for this recipe and it turned out fantastic - so tender! I just threw the meat in there right out of the freezer and omitted the can of water. We ate it with Ginia's mashed potatoes (see recipe above).

Garden Update

2009-06-16T12:10:00.004-05:00

I have been picking about a dozen strawberries per day and have picked a couple of handfuls of green beans already. The yellow squash and zucchini are coming on STRONG and I have probably 30+ tomatoes on their way. Summer fun!

Banana bread by Jessicca Oehlschlager

2009-06-16T12:08:00.002-05:00

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs
2 bananas (or more)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
cinnamon (optional)

Grease and flour pan. Heat oven to 350. Beat sugar and oil together. Add eggs, bananas, sour cream and vanilla. Add dry ingredients. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

**I doubled the recipe with 5 bananas and came out with 3 loaves of very moist banana bread. Excellent warm out of the oven!

Layered Ice Cream Cake by the Duggars

2009-06-16T12:06:00.002-05:00

Makes a 9x13 pan.

24 ice crem sandwiches
8 oz. Cool Whip
1 chocolate syrup bottle
1 caramel syrup bottle
2 king size candy bars, chopped up

1st layer - 12 ice cream sandwiches
2nd - half of Cool Whip
3rd - half of candy bars, caramel and chocolate syrup

Repeat layers and freeze.

**I made this over the weekend for a camping trip. It was great! The recipe suggests Butterfingers but I prefer Snickers. I think it would be excellent with Skor or Heath bars too. A cool summer dessert that serves a crowd.

Mashed Potato soup by Yours Truly

2009-06-11T16:24:00.002-05:00

1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 large onion, diced
6 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 cups water
1 cup diced celery
4 cups milk
2 cups cold mashed potatoes (prepared with milk and butter)
1 can evaporated milk
salt and pepper to taste

In a soup kettle or Dutch oven, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add the cubed potatoes, water and celery; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add milk, mashed potatoes, evaporated milk, salt and pepper. Heat through but do not boil.

*I actually found this recipe at allrecipes.com because I was looking for a way to use up leftover frozen mashed potatoes from Christmas. As usual, I left out the onion, but I did use some minced onion. I never peel my potatoes either. Joy likes soup to be very thick so I didn't add the 4 cups of milk. This really is a hearty, chunky soup. Great with grilled cheese!

Sloppy Joes by the Duggars

2009-06-11T16:22:00.003-05:00

1 pound ground beef or turkey
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup BBQ sauce
1/2 envelope dry onion soup mix
2 tsp. liquid smoke

Brown and season meat. Add all other ingredients and heat through. Serve on buns.

**I got this recipe from the Duggar's website (18 Kids and Counting on TLC). It was wonderful and I like it better than the sloppy joe sauce that comes in a can. This has a smoky/BBQ flavor that is really yummy.

Chicken & Noodles by Ginia Oehlschlager

2009-06-11T16:20:00.002-05:00

1 chicken, cooked and deboned (or canned chicken)
2 cups chicken broth
1 pkg. frozen egg noodles
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
2 cans cream of chicken soup.

Mix all ingredients and simmer. Can also add frozen veggies if you like.

**You would not believe how fantastic this turned out. I could have eaten the whole pot all by myself! I bought one of those rotisserie chickens from the store and there was plenty of meat. I can't wait to fix it again!

Grilled Turkey Club Quesadillas by Kraft Food & Family

2009-06-11T16:17:00.003-05:00

2 flour tortillas (6 inch)
1 Tbsp. Miracle Whip
1/4 tsp. chili powder
4 slices turkey breast
1 slice bacon, cooked
1 slice of cheese

Spread tortillas with dressing; sprinkle with chili powder. Layer turkey, bacon and cheese. Grill for 2-3 minutes.

*This recipe is originally meant for a BBQ grill but I did it on my George Foreman with ham, Swiss cheese and that bacon you can buy that is already cooked. Joy really liked it and I didn't have to heat up the kitchen to cook during the summer. Always important because we haven't turned on our air conditioner yet!

Crockpot BBQ chicken by Jennifer Carter

2009-06-11T16:15:00.000-05:00

4 chicken breasts
1 bottle of BBQ sauce

Put chicken in crockpot. Pour BBQ sauce on top. Cook on low for 6 or 7 hours.

It doesn't get any easier than this one! I shredded the chicken, added more BBQ sauce and we ate it like sandwiches. So simple and so yummy!

Psalm 30:1-12, in our words

2009-05-16T16:56:00.002-05:00

SUNDAY SCHOOLERS: My "version" is below. Make a comment with your "version" so we can all enjoy!

I will exalt You, Lord, because you have made my life worth living and have not allowed me to live without purpose.

Lord, my God, I cried to You for help, and You rescued me.

Lord, You bright me out of my sin habits; You spared me from great personal losses.

Sing to the Lord, you His faithful ones, and praise His holy name.

For His allowed hard times last only a moment, but His favor, a lifetime.

When I was secure, I said, You are my Redeemer.

Lord, when You showed Your favor, You made me fruitful despite my barrenness; when You did something I couldn't understand, I was terrified.

Lord, I called to You; I sought favor from my Lord:

"What gain is there in worldly entertainment?"

Lord, listen and be gracious to me; Lord, be my helper."

You turned my barrenness into fruitfulness; You removed my scarlet sin and clothed me with a white garment fit for a bride so that I can sing to You and not be silent. Lord my God, I will praise You forever.

Peaches 'N Cream Cheesecake by Me and Kraft Food & Family Magazine

2009-04-13T13:48:00.002-05:00

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
6 tbsp. margarine
1 cup sugar, divided
4 pkg. cream cheese (can use light)
1 pkg. peach Jello
1 large can sliced peaches, drained
1 tub Cool Whip

Combine 1/4 cup sugar with graham cracker crumbs and melted butter. Press into bottom of 9x13 pan. Mix cream cheese, peach Jello, peaches and cool whip. Pour over crust. Refrigerate at least 4 hours.

**I didn't want to mess with making the crust so I bought 2 graham cracker crusts instead and it made 2 very full pies. You probably could even make 3 pies. I'm sure it would work great with fresh peaches too. Absolutely delicious!

Turkey or Chicken Casserole by Naomi Shelton

2009-04-06T13:47:00.003-05:00

1 1/2 c macaroni (cooked)
1 jar Cheese Whiz
1 1/2 cup diced cooked chicken or turkey, or use canned
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350. Stir all ingredients together, pour into casserole dish and bake for 30-45 minutes. Sprinkle shredded cheddar on top (optional).

**I threw in a couple of handfuls of frozen broccoli and it turned out great!

Bean dish by Janey Hood

2009-04-06T13:45:00.002-05:00

3 cans of beans (black beans, navy beans, any kind you like), undrained
1 can Rotel
1 can corn
1 cup brown rice
ground beef (optional)

Throw it all together, bring it to a boil, put it in your crock pot and you're done!

**I added about a pound of Velveeta to this and left out the rice. Very hearty for a cold day!

Three Cheese Chicken Penne Pasta Bake

2009-04-06T13:42:00.002-05:00

1 1/2 cups penne pasta
1 pkg. fresh spinach leaves
1 lb. chicken bresats, cut up
1 tsp. dried basil
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
2 oz. cream cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese
2 Tbsp. parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 375. Cook pasta, adding spinach to boiling water for last 1 minute. Cook and stir chicken and basil in non-stick skillet for 3 minutes. Add sauce and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Stir in cream cheese. Drain pasta mixture; return to pan. Stir in chicken mixture and 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Spoon into 2-quart baking dish. Bake 20 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses. Bake 3 minutes.

**I got this recipe from the Kraft magazine. A great way to sneak in a vegetable with the spinach leaves.

Beef Burgundy by Mindy Schiman

2009-03-30T11:30:00.002-05:00

Stew meat
2 packets dry onion soup mix
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
2 Tbsp. burgundy wine
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

Place meat into 9x13 or crockpot. Spread soup over meat. Sprinkle onion soup on top. Drizzle wine and Worcestershire over all. Cover and bake at 250 degrees (or on low for crock) for 6 hours. Serve over cooked rice.

**Oh my goodness, this one was fantastic! This recipe was Mindy's grandmother's. Even better the next day! I used 2 packages of stew meat (approximately 2 pounds) and found the burgundy wine by the salad dressing and vinegar at the grocery store. We ate it over mashed potatoes instead of rice but I'm sure it would be fantastic with the rice too. EXCELLENT!

Ranch Stew by Mindy Schiman

2009-03-30T11:28:00.002-05:00

Brown 1.5 lbs hamburger with one diced onion (optional). Drain, put in crockpot. Add 2 cans Ranch style beans, 3 cans minestrone soup and 2 cans of Rotel. Cook on low. Serve with cornbread or tortilla chips (best with tortilla chips).

**Joy isn't much for soup but he liked this one because it is thick and hearty. Makes a BIG batch. In fact, I froze half of it to eat another day. We ate it with tortilla "scoops" and a little dab of sour cream.

Cheesy Potato Soup by Yours Truly

2009-03-16T14:45:00.000-05:00

6 potatoes, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces
2 onions, chopped
2 carrots, sliced
3 stalks celery, sliced
4 chicken bouillon cubes
1 Tbsp. parsley flakes
5 cups water
Salt & pepper to taste
1/3 cup butter or margarine
1 evaporated milk
1/2 to 1 lb. Velveeta

Cook potatoes, celery, carrots and onion in the water and bouillon, salt and pepper. When tender, add evaporated milk, margarine, parsley and Velveeta. Heat on low so cheese doesn't stick. Serve topped with chives, if desired.

**My favorite potato soup recipe, hands down. I leave out the onion, as usual. Yum-O!

Slow Cooker Pot Roast by Janet Weldy

2009-03-16T14:44:00.001-05:00

1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 pouch dry onion soup mix
6 small red potatoes, halved
6 medium carrots, cut up
3 to 3 1/2 pound boneless beef bottom round roast or chuck pot roast

Stir soup, onion soup mix, potatoes and carrots in 5 quart slow cooker. Add beef and turn to coat. Cover and cook on low 8 to 9 hours or until beef is fork tender.

**Yummy, classic recipe!

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas by Gayle Cameron

2009-03-02T12:19:00.002-06:00

1 large container sour cream
2 packages cream cheese
1 can cream fo chicken soup
4 cups cooked chicken breast
1 can diced green chiles
1 onion, chopped finely
12 oz. can evaporated milk
12 flour tortillas
12 oz. jack cheese, shredded

Mix sour cream, cream cheese, chicken soup, chiles and chopped onion together. Microwave until melted and well blended. Thin with evaporated milk if needed. Spray a 9x13 pan with Pam. Spread a small amount of sauce on bottom of baking dish. Spread a small amount of sauce on each tortilla and place 1/3 cup chicken inside. Roll tortillas and place seam down in baking pan. Spread leftover sauce over tortillas. Sprinkle with shredded cheese. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until bubbly.

**These taste like Maggie Mae's! I actually split this recipe in half for just the two of us and used 2 big cans of chicken because I had them on hand. As always, I left out the chiles and onion. Yum-O!

Easy Chicken & Rice

2009-03-02T12:17:00.001-06:00

4 chicken breasts
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 package Rice-A-Roni chicken flavor
2 tbsp. margarine or butter
2 1/2 cups water
1 cup frozen or canned peas
1/2 cup chopped red or green bell pepper

Sprinkle chicken withp aprika; set aside. Saute rice and vermicelli mix in margarine until golden brown. Add water, chicken and seasoning packet. Bring to a boil. Cover; reduce heat to medium/low. Simmer 15 minutes. Stir in peas and bell pepper. Cover; simmer 5 minutes more or until liquid is absorbed and chicken is no longer pink inside. Let stand 5 minutes.

**I left out the paprika and bell pepper and used chicken thighs because Joy likes dark meat. Quick and easy!

Taco Soup

2009-02-23T17:28:00.002-06:00

1 pound ground beef
1 onion, chopped
3 cans mild chili beans
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can corn
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix
1 1/2 cup water
shredded cheddar
sour cream
Scoops chips

Brown beef with onions. Place all remaining ingredients except cheese, sour cream and chips into slow cooker. Cook on low all day. Serve topped with cheese and sour cream. Crumble chips or use instead of a spoon!

**This one was so good we almost licked the bottom of the crockpot. Joy isn't much for soup but he really liked this one. Good and hearty!

Slow Cooker French Beef Dip Sandwiches by Lisa Curl

2009-02-23T17:26:00.002-06:00

3 pound boneless beef chuck roast
1 can French onion soup
1 can beef consomme
1 can beef broth
1 tsp. beef bouillon
8 French or Italian rolls, split

Halve roast and place both halves into a slow cooker. Pour the soup, consomme, broth and bouillon over the roast. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or until meat is tender. Remove meat and shred with two forks. Serve on rolls. Skim fat from cooking juices and serve as a dipping sauce.

**This has been one of my favorite recipes for years. My sister makes this for me almost every time we come to visit. Her name for it is Soupy Roast but I have always called it Stewy Meat. No matter the name, this one is great!

Lazy Day Lasagna

2009-02-18T08:45:00.002-06:00

1 carton cottage cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 eggs
1/3 cup parsley
1 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/8 tsp. pepper
32 oz. spaghetti sauce
1 pound ground beef/turkey/sausage
9 lasagna noodles, uncooked
3/4 cup. water

In large bowl, mix cheeses, eggs, parsley, onion powder, basil and pepper until well blended; set aside. In medium bowl, mix together spaghetti sauce and cooked meat. In 9x13 baking dish, spread 3/4 cup meat sauce. Layer 3 uncooked noodles and top with meat sauce. Spread with 1/2 of cottage cheese mixture and 1 1/2 cup meat sauce. Layer 3 more noodles on top of meat sauce. Spread with remaining cottage cheese mixture. Top with remaining 3 noodles and remaining meat sauce. Pour water around edges.

Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and foil for freezing. To serve, thaw and bake covered (don't forget to remove the plastic wrap) at 375 for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before eating. To bake from frozen stage, add 30 minutes to total baking time.

**This is my tried-and-true lasagna recipe. I love it because you don't have to cook the noodles. I usually make several of these at a time and keep the rest in the freezer. I have quite a large collection of baking dishes that I have accumulated here and there from yard sales and thrift stores. I have made up to six of these at once. It's so easy to grab it out of the freezer, throw it in the oven and have a really good dinner on the table.

Slow Cooker Barbecue Pork Sandwiches by Lisa Curl

2009-02-07T13:57:00.002-06:00

1 can beef broth
3 pounds boneless pork ribs
1 18-ounce bottle barbecue sauce
12 French sandwich rolls, split

Pour the can of beef broth into slow cooker and add ribs. Cook on high heat for 4 hours, or until meat shreds easily. Remove meat and drain. Using two forks, pull meat apart to shred it. It may not seem like it's working right away, but keep working at it and it will. Stir in the entire bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce. Cover and cook on high for another 30 minutes or until completely heated through. Fill split rolls. Serves 12.

**I screwed up on this one but thankfully it turned out okay if you go ahead and cook the ribs in the broth and the barbecue sauce! This one was YUMMY!

Mashed Potato Soup by Rachael Ray

2009-02-07T13:54:00.002-06:00

Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
6 slices bacon, chopped
4 tbsp. butter
1 medium onion, chopped
4 tbsp. flour
1 quart chicken stock
2 cups leftover mashed potatoes
8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
Chopped chives for garnish

In a medium pot or Dutch oven, heat a drizzle of EVOO over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook until crispy. Remove back to a paper-towel lined plate and reserve. Drain off excess bacon fat from the pot and add butter. When it is melted, add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle flour into the pot and cook with a wooden spoon for 1 minute. Whisk in the chicken stock and bring to a bubble. Cook until slightly thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Whisk in mashed potatoes, then stir in the cheddar cheese with a wooden spoon and cook until the potatoes are hot and the cheese is melted.

**I froze some leftover mashed potatoes from Christmas just to try this recipe. I left the bacon out to spare the calories but I'm sure it would be great. I left out the onion and chives as usual. Joy isn't much for soup but I really liked this one.

Orange Pop Chicken by Jane Clifton (my sister)

2009-02-07T13:52:00.002-06:00

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can diet orange pop
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 cups instant rice

Place chicken in crockpot. Combine soy sauce and orange pop in medium bowl. Pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours. During the last hour, remove chicken and stir in instant rice and place chicken back on top of rice. Cook for 1 hour then serve.

**My sister just uses regular rice and puts it in at the beginning of the recipe and lets it cook all day. I confess that I cheated and left the rice out altogether. I ran through Bamboo Gardens drive-thru and got some there instead!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2009-02-02T13:05:00.002-06:00

1 medium onion, chopped
1 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 Tbsp. oil for sauteing
2 pounds chicken, baked or boiled, chopped or shredded
14 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 can Rotel
1 can beef broth
1 can chicken broth
1 can tomato soup
1 1/2 cans of water
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. lemon-pepper seasoning
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. Tabasco sauce

Saute onion and garlic in oil, adding more oil if needed. Add remaining ingredients and simmer 30-35 minutes. Cool. Freeze in freezer bags.

Serve with tortilla chips, grated cheese and sour cream.

**This one was FANTASTIC! As usual, I left out the onion (used a few onion flakes instead because I can usually sneak those past Joy). I used minced garlic as well. I also used Progresso Tomato Basil soup because I had a coupon. I used mild Rotel and left out the Tabasco because we are wimpy when it comes to spicy food. I cooked the whole thing in the crockpot all day and we ate every last bite. Very good on those snowy and icy days we had last week!

Tater Tot Casserole

2009-02-02T13:03:00.003-06:00

2 pounds ground beef
1 packet meatloaf seasoning
1 can cream of celery soup
1 pound Velveeta
1 bag tater tots

Brown beef and stir in meatloaf seasoning mix. Place in greased 9x13 pan. Spread soup over meat. Slice Velveeta and arrange over soup. Top with tater tots. Bake for 30-45 minutes at 350.

**This is an old stand-by from back in the day when Joy and I were dating. It is easy to prepare several of these in advance and keep them in the freezer. I actually split the recipe in half when I make it just for us. Great to keep on hand in case someone gets sick or has a baby, etc. You can use any kind of "cream of" soup and it's no big deal if you don't have the meatloaf seasoning either. You can use taco seasoning, or even just plain salt and pepper.

Creamy Chicken & Tortillas by Michelle Duggar

2009-01-23T10:29:00.003-06:00

4 c. cooked chicken, diced
1 dozen corn tortillas
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
8 oz. jar salsa
1 c. sour cream
1 c. cheddar cheese

Combine the soups, salsa and sour cream in a bowl and blend well. Grease the crockpot and make 2-3 layers of chicken, tortillas and sauce. Cook on low heat for 4-5 hours. Add the cheese 15 min. before eating.

**This one was fantastic. We like flour tortillas better and will make it with those next time.

Taquito-Enchilada Bake

2009-01-23T10:24:00.002-06:00

20 oz. can red enchilada sauce
20 oz. box shredded beef or chicken taquitos
16 oz. can refried beans, heated
1/3 cup diced onion, red or green bell peppers
1 1/2 cup Mexican-blend cheese
Sour cream

Preheat oven to 375. Pour 1/3 of enchilada sauce into 9x13 baking dish. Spread half taquitos over enchilada sauce. Evenly sperad heated refried beans over taquitos. Use 1/3 more enchilada sauce, half onion mixture and half shredded cheese. Top with remaining taquitos and enchilada sauce. Bake, covered, for 25 minutes or until heated through. The last 5 minutes, uncover and top with remaining cheese. Garnish with remaining onion mixture and sour cream.

**Again, I left out the onion and bell peppers. Joy LOVED this one!

Cheeseburger Sandwiches by Ginia Oehlschlager

2009-01-23T10:23:00.004-06:00

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1/2 tsp. garlic pepper
8 oz. Velveeta, diced
2 Tbsp. milk
1 medium bell pepper, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves finely chopped garlic
Sandwich buns

Cook beef and garlic until brown. Drain. Mix in remaining ingredients and cook on low heat in crock pot until ready. Fill buns.

**I left out the bell pepper and onion. This one was excellent!

Chicken Macaroni Casserole

2009-01-23T10:18:00.002-06:00

3 cups chicken, cooked & cubed
2 cups elbow maracroni, uncooked
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
3 1/2 cups water with 3 tsp. chicken bouillon granules dissolved
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
8 oz. can sliced water chestnuts, drained
8 oz. jar sliced mushrooms, drained
1/3 cup onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup green pepper, chopped
2 oz. jar sliced pimentos, drained
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
4 cups herb-flavored stuffing mix
1/2 cup butter, melted

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except stuffing and butter. Transfer to greased 13x9 dish. Refrigerate overnight. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Toss stuffing mix with butter and sprinkle over casserole. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 50-55 minutes.

**We are having this one tonight. I left out the water chestnuts, green pepper and pimentos because we don't like them. It only took a few minutes to throw this one together.

A college graduate in the family

2009-01-08T09:02:00.005-06:00

My oldest niece, Jessica Kathryn Clifton, has received her Bachelor's Degree from Tulsa University. We celebrated with her as she received her diploma on December. She begins her Master's Degree in January so it is right back to the books!

Christmas Recap

2009-01-08T08:38:00.005-06:00

What a whirlwind was this holiday season! Parties galore, time spent with family and friends. Christmas is my favorite time of the year and it always goes by too fast. Here are a few snapshots to commemorate the fun that was had by all!

Jehovah Jireh, My Provider

2008-11-13T10:07:00.003-06:00

An awesome and challenging direction from the Lord this morning...

I have been fearful, anxious and stressed even to the point of muscle tension in my neck regarding the future of my job as a transcriptionist juxtaposed against my college schedule. I have been battling within myself to stay at peace. It feels like I have been standing on a piece of wood that is balanced on top of big can, see-sawing back and forth beneath me.

This morning, I felt the question loud and clear in my Spirit, "What are you standing on?"

The balancing act I have been on has been based on my ever-changing, unpredictable circumstances, certainly not a stable foundation for anything. Instead, I need to stand firm upon the ROCK of the Word and the unmoving, unchanging Jehovah Jireh God who has provided everything for me in my past and will take care of my future just as surely.

Thank you, Lord, for your Holy Spirit at work within me. May I always hear You clearly.

I now pose the question to you, blog readers. What are YOU standing on?

Election reaction

2008-11-06T15:16:00.000-06:00

I woke with a heavy heart and could hardly tear myself away from the election results and reactions on the TV. The names of God we have studied so far, particularly El Elyon, have been so dear to me this morning. God, in His sovereignty, has allowed this outcome and I am battling to keep myself standing on the peace of that truth when I am tempted to fret and worry. I encourage you to pray even more fervently for President-elect Obama. I prayed these words on his behalf from Ephesians 1:17-23:

“That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you [President-elect Obama] the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power, which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come; and has put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him that fills all in all.”

Things may look dark right now, but that backdrop is when the light of Jesus shines brightest. Our Elohim, our El Elyon, our El Roi, our El Shaddai, our Adonai, our Jehovah, our Jehovah-Jireh, is still in control.

Book Club

2008-10-17T15:22:00.001-05:00

I’m working on plans for the Book Club! What do you think about alternating between fiction and non-fiction choices each month? We would meet once a month to discuss our readings, maybe on a Saturday morning at Keen Bean? I’m open to suggestions on days and times. You will have an entire month to purchase and read the selected book. If you like, I could purchase several of them at a time and you could reimburse me, whatever works best. The book club is not limited to Covenant and any friends or family you would like to invite are very welcome!

I’m thinking about starting off with “The Shack”, a controversial and discussion-provoking book by William P. Young. This book has been a #1 New York Times Bestseller and those who have already read it say it is a quick one! I purchased this book at CPO for $12.74. The back cover reads:

“Mackenzie Allen Phillips’s youngest daughter, Missy, has been abducted during a family vacation and evidence that she may have been brutally murdered is found in an abandoned shack deep in the Oregon wilderness. Four years later, in the midst of his Great Sadness, Mack receives a suspicious note, apparently from God, inviting him back to that shack for a weekend. Against his better judgment he arrives at the shack on a wintry afternoon and walks back into his darkest nightmare. What he finds there will change Mack’s world forever. In a world where religion seems to grow increasingly irrelevant THE SHACK wrestles with the timeless question, “Where is God in a world so filled with unspeakable pain?” The answers Mack gets will astound you and perhaps transform you as much as it did him. You’ll want everyone you know to read this book!”

I have chosen “Release the Power of Prayer” by George Muller as the first non-fiction selection. He is a fascinating man from the 1800’s with an incredible gift for prayer and trusting God. I purchased this book at CPO for $5.49 and it is pretty short at only 141 pages. The back cover reads:

“As a boy, George Muller was a thief and a liar, but after turning to Christ, he provided for over 10,000 orphans – without ever asking anyone but God to supply their needs. He testified that he knew of at least 50,000 specific answers to his prayers. From his amazing personal account, you will find out how to turn your faith loose, receive God’s promises, exchange unhappiness for joy, watch God turn impossibilities into reality, defeat Satan’s tool of discouragement, connect with God’s amazing power, and participate in miraculous events. Through the extraordinary example of George Muller’s life, you will discover how to trust God and seek His answers to your every problem. You can experience the same miraculous hand of God at work in your life today.”

I made the first two choices to get us started. After that, we will take suggestions from the group as to our next readings. This will be a group that you can come and go as fits your schedule or reading preferences. Let me know if you want to be involved! Also, be sure to give me some feedback as to what dates and times you prefer for our meetings.

Priorities and Expectations

2008-10-14T09:49:00.000-05:00

I read this quote last week from “The Names of God” by Andrew Jukes and it pinned me to the wall:

“We would not pass a bag of money, if we might have it, because we could get some pleasure from it; but we can pass by God, morning, noon, and night, for we expect no good or pleasure from Him.”

Bible study and having a quiet time are a frequent practice in my life but sometimes I will go an entire day or two without opening God’s word. As a matter of fact, just last week I realized that I had read the complete Mt. Vernon newspaper but I had not “had time” to read the Bible. Who knows how many television shows I have watched on days when I just couldn’t “get to” my quiet time. Such pathetic excuses! The Holy Spirit used this quote by Andrew Jukes, written in 1882, to convict me deeply. I share it with you as a matter of my own confession but also to ask you to listen to the Holy Spirit on this subject. I bring no condemnation; that is not the way of our El Shaddai (Romans 8:1). It’s not about legalism, either. Think in terms of “quality”, not “quantity”. I simply request that you ask the Lord if He is pleased with the time you spend with Him and His word, and respond to what He shows you.

My living room

2008-10-13T08:49:00.003-05:00

When I went to Chicago to visit the Ervins, I stayed at the Ronald McDonald House and absolutely fell in love with their color scheme, so much so that I emailed the director and asked the names of the paint colors of the main floor living room. My previously very red living room is now the two tones of silver satin and fairview taupe (Benjamin Moore colors). For my birthday, my brother-in-law installed a chair rail and crown molding. No small task in this 150-year old home where absolutely nothing is square or plumb! The end result is wonderful. I need to decide my accent color (I'm leaning toward aqua) and do a little more decorating but it just looks terrific.

Lord, I Want to Know You: El Shaddai Questions

2008-10-05T17:51:00.001-05:00

El Shaddai (Almighty) is found in Job over 30 times. This week, spend some concentrated time in this book and consider why Job used that particular term to address God, this Almightly, All-Sufficient God who had allowed so much to be taken from him. What do you learn? How can you apply this to your life?

'Tis the Season...

2008-09-28T20:54:00.004-05:00

...football season, that is! I have the privilege of standing on the sidelines with camera in hand. Every now and then, I actually get it right. Here are a few of my recent favorites (Payton's team and the high school team).

Lord, I Want to Know You: El Roi Questions

2008-09-28T20:42:00.000-05:00

1. Think of a time when you were doing something you knew you shouldn’t. Did the truth of El Roi, the God Who Sees, occur to you during that time? Why or why not?

2. Because God is sovereign (El Elyon), if what has occurred in our lives (or is occurring right now) did not have the potential to conform us to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29), then He would not have allowed it to occur and He would have intervened. Think through this statement and respond.

Lord, I Want to Know You: Week #3 Questions

2008-09-21T15:51:00.001-05:00

1. Explain how God’s sovereignty and Man’s free will can coexist:
2. Reread Daniel 2:20-23 in light of this year’s presidential election. What do you learn?
3. Keeping in perspective the sovereignty of God, what is the difference between God’s “perfect” will and God’s “permissive” will?
4. This week we will focus on your memory verse: Psalm 57:2. Many of you have various different translations or paraphrases (King James, New Century Version, The Message, The Living Bible, etc.) of the Bible around your homes. You can also use online sources to find other translations of the Bible. Look up Psalm 57:2 and write it in your favorite translation below. What made you choose that particular wording as your favorite?
5. What has the study of El Elyon clarified for you this week?

Lord, I Want to Know You: Week #2 Questions

2008-09-15T09:11:00.002-05:00

This week's questions take some thought and introspection. Spend a little time mulling these over and then post your answers. Also, feel free to comment on each other's answers as well.

1. Elohim has a plural ending indicating more than one and we worship God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Does this mean that there is more than one God? Explain your answer.

2. Are you pleased with the way God created you? What do you like about yourself? What would you change? How does your acceptance/rejection of yourself reflect back on Elohim, Creator God?

3. Read John 9. Summarize the truths of this passage.

4. What have you learned from your study this week that you can apply to your life in a practical way?

Lord, I Want to Know You: Week #1 Questions

2008-09-07T14:04:00.005-05:00

Let's try an experiment together and use the blog as a discussion area for our extra homework assignments. Post your comments regarding the following questions:

Read Isaiah 31:1 and answer the question, “What (or who) represents Egypt in my life?”
Read Isaiah 2:5-12. Paraphrase into your own words.
Read Amos 5:4-8. Paraphrase into your own words.
What truths do you glean from these verses? How can you apply them to your life in practical ways?

Email me if you have any problems using the blog (kmaberry@centurytel.net). I can hardly wait to read your posts!

Get your kicks...on Route 66!

2008-08-19T13:03:00.006-05:00

The youngest niece and I decided to take advantage of the cool temperatures and the close proximity to Old 66 to be shutterbugs for an evening. Most of the shots were taken around Halltown and the Gay Parita gas station.

The pictures of the flowers were taken at Paris Springs, a lovely little hideaway perfect for splashing in the creek!

Jaclynn enjoys playing around with my camera and has a good eye for photo composition. It made for a fun way to end her visit with us.

Of Mice and Myself

2008-07-26T07:46:00.002-05:00

I have an irrational fear of mice. This I freely admit. I thought I was doing better after a couple of encounters earlier this summer when I saw a mouse and didn't scream my bloody head off, but alas, I am as pathetic as ever.

WE HAVE MICE IN OUR BATHROOM. We have caught three (did you hear that? THREE!) in the bathroom so far. If you have been to our home, you know that we only have one bathroom and that presents a significant problem for me. Just this morning I had to wake Joy out of a sound sleep to have him to empty the trap so I could use the facilities. He told me not to look and to go anyway. I told him I would go outside first.

What do they possibly want in our bathroom? I am just dumbfounded over this. I understand that we live in the country and mice are just a fact of life, but isn't that usually a winter kitchen problem where there are crumbs and such? The bathroom? I just don't get it.

Oh wise friends and family blog readers, do you have any advice for:

1. How to get rid of these mice (none of that humane stuff either - I want them DEAD).
2. How to get over my irrational fear.

Any and all solutions are greatly appreciated. I anticipate that building an additional bathroom has now moved up on the priority list of home improvement projects. But then would I have mice in both bathrooms? Oh dear.....

The Ervins are coming! The Ervins are coming!

2008-06-27T09:43:00.008-05:00

Kurt, Kelly, Austin and Kenzie made their annual trek to Mt. Vernon. We hosted a gathering of friends to celebrate. A great time was had by all.

Summer fun

2008-06-27T09:32:00.003-05:00

It seems like we have been going at a dead run ever since summer began but it has been so much fun! We had an awesome camping trip with our friends, complete with many fish caught, great food eaten (especially Clayton's steaks) and a huge marshmallow fight (my personal favorite). Check out a few pictures from the fun!

New reasons

2008-05-16T15:33:00.003-05:00

"Every day [with its new reasons] will I bless You [affectionately and gratefully praise You]; yes, I will praise Your name forever and ever." Psalm 145:2 (Amplified)

"New reasons" I am grateful today:

Two cute little finch at my bird feeder
New flowers to plant
Spring weather with perfect open-your-windows temperatures
The soothing sound of my water fountain on the porch
The end of another semester of college
Bargains found at a thrift store
New babies being born today
Friends who trust me with their children
The scent of geraniums
My incredible Lord whose Word is always fresh and never becomes stale or irrelevant

How about you? What "new reasons" inspire your gratitude today?