So many things to write about - everyday life,gardening, cooking,France,Kansas,family,holidays, church,God,Jesus Christ,Christianity,missions, ministry,abortion, politics, art, music, "Sullivan" our English bulldog,reading .....
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Mmmmm ... Smell That?
Now that the hot summer temperatures are finally starting to disappear I can turn the oven on again. And I have. Baking is once again a kitchen activity around here. Homemade biscuits. Muffins. Bread. Cakes. Not EVERYday, mind you - have to watch the old waist line. But often enough to send good smells wafting throughout the house.
Husband and grandson certainly appreciate opening the door and smelling delicious odors from the kitchen. Always hoping I am planning to give them a taste. I often remember coming home from school and walking into a kitchen with something baking. Mmmmmm - smelled so nice. As a mom to four hungry schoolkids myself, all grown up now, I often tried to have something baking and/or cooking when the kids got home from school. They may not remember much of it now - but I sure do. I hope our after-school-kitchen-odors have contributed to their "remember when ..." stories they now tell to THEIR children. :)
Lots of kids nowadays, though, don't have the chance to experience those "coming-in-from-school-and-smelling-something-great" moments. Life is busy for everyone. Many kids come home to an empty house and must make their own "cooking smells", in a microwave. Many young parents just don't cook or bake - they eat out, microwave, order in. That not only gets expensive, it's depriving the family of something - the memories of great homemade cooking and baking smells in their home. I once wrote an article about how every kid deserves to come home sometimes to the smell of bread baking in an oven. ... what a way to welcome your kids home and say, "I love you!" (And, believe me, the husbands love it, too. There are also some husbands who enjoy cooking - in that case, the wife will love it!)
Yeah, it's all about love. Cooking and baking for your family is one way to show how much you love them. One way to provide happy "home" memories for them to talk about in their future. One way to show them that, as busy as you are, you still put them first and love them more than anyone else.
P.S. ( Though I usually bake and cook from "scratch" - I'm not above using a brownie mix, a chocolate-chip cookie mix, etc. from time to time. For those of you who just are really stretched for the time to stick something in the oven ... give these a try. I won't say they taste better than "from scratch" , but there are some pretty good-tasting mixes out there. And, if it's a question of time, those mixes can still produce some pretty nice kitchen odors for the family to walk into. :) )
**************************************************************************************
Here is a quick-to-make chocolate cake you might want to try. I found it recently on a recipe online site.
"Throw-Together Chocolate Cake"
(greased 9 X 13 baking pan .... preheat oven: 360 degrees)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups flour ...............NOTE: I used self-rising flour (don't add the baking powder if you do), and it
1/2 cup soft butter turned out fine
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon instant coffee powder ............NOTE: I didn't have any instant coffee, so just added about
1/2 cup of left-over black coffee
********************************************************************************
Put all ingredients in a bowl, in order given more or less, and beat well until creamy and smooth.
Pour into prepared pan.
BAKE: preheated pan ... 45 minutes to 1 hour
*********************************************************************************
Put any kind of frosting on that you like; or just sprinkle powdered sugar over it. I used a brown sugar/cream praline frosting. Yum!
******************************** ENJOY! ****************************************
Mmmmmmmm! Smell that?
Husband and grandson certainly appreciate opening the door and smelling delicious odors from the kitchen. Always hoping I am planning to give them a taste. I often remember coming home from school and walking into a kitchen with something baking. Mmmmmm - smelled so nice. As a mom to four hungry schoolkids myself, all grown up now, I often tried to have something baking and/or cooking when the kids got home from school. They may not remember much of it now - but I sure do. I hope our after-school-kitchen-odors have contributed to their "remember when ..." stories they now tell to THEIR children. :)
Lots of kids nowadays, though, don't have the chance to experience those "coming-in-from-school-and-smelling-something-great" moments. Life is busy for everyone. Many kids come home to an empty house and must make their own "cooking smells", in a microwave. Many young parents just don't cook or bake - they eat out, microwave, order in. That not only gets expensive, it's depriving the family of something - the memories of great homemade cooking and baking smells in their home. I once wrote an article about how every kid deserves to come home sometimes to the smell of bread baking in an oven. ... what a way to welcome your kids home and say, "I love you!" (And, believe me, the husbands love it, too. There are also some husbands who enjoy cooking - in that case, the wife will love it!)
Yeah, it's all about love. Cooking and baking for your family is one way to show how much you love them. One way to provide happy "home" memories for them to talk about in their future. One way to show them that, as busy as you are, you still put them first and love them more than anyone else.
P.S. ( Though I usually bake and cook from "scratch" - I'm not above using a brownie mix, a chocolate-chip cookie mix, etc. from time to time. For those of you who just are really stretched for the time to stick something in the oven ... give these a try. I won't say they taste better than "from scratch" , but there are some pretty good-tasting mixes out there. And, if it's a question of time, those mixes can still produce some pretty nice kitchen odors for the family to walk into. :) )
**************************************************************************************
Here is a quick-to-make chocolate cake you might want to try. I found it recently on a recipe online site.
"Throw-Together Chocolate Cake"
(greased 9 X 13 baking pan .... preheat oven: 360 degrees)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups flour ...............NOTE: I used self-rising flour (don't add the baking powder if you do), and it
1/2 cup soft butter turned out fine
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon instant coffee powder ............NOTE: I didn't have any instant coffee, so just added about
1/2 cup of left-over black coffee
********************************************************************************
Put all ingredients in a bowl, in order given more or less, and beat well until creamy and smooth.
Pour into prepared pan.
BAKE: preheated pan ... 45 minutes to 1 hour
*********************************************************************************
Put any kind of frosting on that you like; or just sprinkle powdered sugar over it. I used a brown sugar/cream praline frosting. Yum!
******************************** ENJOY! ****************************************
Mmmmmmmm! Smell that?
Monday, August 30, 2010
Concord Grapes
And ............ they are concord grapes! The taste of only one brings back memories of a childhood in Rhode Island ... Newport and Portsmouth. Why the walk down memory lane because of a concord grape? Because, when I was a kid living in Rhode Island, I used to help my brothers with their paper route. To help my brothers with their paper route meant I rode my bike up and down some little country roads - and along quite a few of those country roads were stone fences - and on those stone fences I would often find grapes growing. CONCORD grapes! Yum! My absolute favorite grapes. When I was told those "things" on the fences were edible grapes, and first tasted them, I was hooked for life. In grape season my brothers probably wondered why I was so slow; though, they, too, loved the concords and were most likely indulging themselves.
When we lived in France I became pretty well acquainted with muscat grapes and those big, sweet Italian grapes. They were delicious. But the concords still remained my "preferred" grape.
After returning to the states I was always on the look-out for concord grapes. They were rarely found here in the Midwest. But when I DID find some I snatched them up, knowing it would be a long time before I found them again.
Now, I admit that our humble concord grape specimen shown here does not measure up to the stately, beautiful ones I remember, and find from time to time (maybe because this is only the second year of our vine???). But, I have to tell you that as soon as I popped one of the ripe ones into my mouth and bit into it ... I was instantly transported back to those bike rides on the Rhode Island country roads! Heavenly taste; only way to describe it. :) LOVE 'em! Absolutely LOVE them.
Oh, and listen up: the ONLY way to eat a concord grape is to pop it into your mouth, bite into it and enjoy that instant glorious squirt of concord grape flavor - and then swallow the WHOLE thing (don't you dare spit out that skin - it's yummy)! Oooooooooh ... I sure hope the birds plan to leave us a few more .....
If the Squash Bugs Missed Them ...
We haven't had much luck with our garden squash this year. The squash bugs didn't spare us. Come to think of it, they didn't last year either. :( Some of our friends have had the same problem - but there are SOME friends who have had success. And, thanks to their generosity, we have been "kept in squash" this summer. Yellow squash. I like other kinds, too. But YELLOW squash is my favorite.
I have tried various recipes for the squash, but have to say that my absolute favorite way to eat yellow squash is probably the simplest way of preparing it. We enjoyed it again for supper this evening: slice small yellow squash into a skillet with a little olive oil (I also love using bacon drippings), some chopped fresh garlic, chopped onion, salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste. Stir-fry for three to five minutes and, presto!, it is ready to eat. Enjoy!
Of course, there are any number of ways to "ad lib" this recipe. Sometimes I throw in some fresh, chopped basil - or sage - or thyme ... or all three! It's great with some good crispy country bacon chopped into it. And, if the bacon idea grabs you, you'll probably also love some slices of good ham ( I LOVE country-smoked ham) to go along with the squash. Then, there's always any kind of cheese to sprinkle in ... maybe a little cream ... etc. Use your imagination. Don't be afraid to experiment. For me, part of the fun of cooking, is the "creativity" of it ... sometimes I follow a recipe completely; but LOTS of times (maybe most) I'm not afraid to stray off on my own. A little of this; a little of that. Have to say that there have been few times that something's turned out really bad (but don't ask my husband about the sweet-and-sour rabbit when we were young marrieds and only had a can of pineapple and a jar of home-canned rabbit from a friend in the cupboard.............).
Eat REAL food - including squash-bugless yellow squash - and enjoy REAL taste. :)
I have tried various recipes for the squash, but have to say that my absolute favorite way to eat yellow squash is probably the simplest way of preparing it. We enjoyed it again for supper this evening: slice small yellow squash into a skillet with a little olive oil (I also love using bacon drippings), some chopped fresh garlic, chopped onion, salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste. Stir-fry for three to five minutes and, presto!, it is ready to eat. Enjoy!
Of course, there are any number of ways to "ad lib" this recipe. Sometimes I throw in some fresh, chopped basil - or sage - or thyme ... or all three! It's great with some good crispy country bacon chopped into it. And, if the bacon idea grabs you, you'll probably also love some slices of good ham ( I LOVE country-smoked ham) to go along with the squash. Then, there's always any kind of cheese to sprinkle in ... maybe a little cream ... etc. Use your imagination. Don't be afraid to experiment. For me, part of the fun of cooking, is the "creativity" of it ... sometimes I follow a recipe completely; but LOTS of times (maybe most) I'm not afraid to stray off on my own. A little of this; a little of that. Have to say that there have been few times that something's turned out really bad (but don't ask my husband about the sweet-and-sour rabbit when we were young marrieds and only had a can of pineapple and a jar of home-canned rabbit from a friend in the cupboard.............).
Eat REAL food - including squash-bugless yellow squash - and enjoy REAL taste. :)
Homemade Soup!
The soup in the photo here was our supper tonight. We'd had a church picnic, after services today. One thing I took was a roasted chicken, the meat cut off of the bones. When we returned in the afternoon I put the chicken carcass that I'd saved in the fridge into a pan of water, letting it simmer a couple of hours, while doing other things. The freshly-making chicken broth smelled great. Finally, I lifted out the bones to cool enough to pull the bits and pieces of meat off ... added the meat to the broth ... salt and pepper to taste ... a tomato from the garden, peeled and chopped ... a couple of okra pods straight from the garden, sliced in thin pieces ... a bit of garlic ... a little white wine ... a handful of chopped basil from the garden ... let it simmer a little longer - then, just before serving, added a bit of REAL cream. Yum! My husband and I both enjoyed a bowl-full. So good.
Great-tasting homemade food can take time - or not. Like soup. Give it a long, slow simmer over the afternoon, or overnight in the slow cooker ... or, use ingredients that can be cooked quickly and enjoyed in just a few minutes. Believe me, it's worth the effort. :)
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Friday, August 13, 2010
Our Love Story 12/13/09 at OneTrueMedia.com
I made this for my husband last year for our 40th anniversary - the sentiments are the same this year for our 41st! :)
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Monday, August 9, 2010
Poster/France
Beautiful black-and-white photography ... poster of winter in the small village of Algrange, France - a great gift for you, a student for his dorm or any student, or a teacher ........or, for ANYone! :)
Travel Coffee Mug
Great travel coffee mug! Makes a fun gift for a back-to-school student and/or teacher. Design available in other mug styles, colors, materials and in other prices. Can be customized.
French Lorraine Village Posters from Zazzle.com
French Lorraine Village Posters from Zazzle.com
A beautiful poster from my original watercolor ... need a back-to-the-dorm poster for a student? new wall decor? a gift for a friend? a gift for YOURSELF? Take a peek at the poster .... or look around in my online store at the many other original items available. All original and unique - my art work and/or photography. Items may be personnalised. Great gifts for birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, holidays, etc.
A beautiful poster from my original watercolor ... need a back-to-the-dorm poster for a student? new wall decor? a gift for a friend? a gift for YOURSELF? Take a peek at the poster .... or look around in my online store at the many other original items available. All original and unique - my art work and/or photography. Items may be personnalised. Great gifts for birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, holidays, etc.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Tears
From "The American Heritage Dictionary of The English Language" : "tear" ... "A drop of the clear salty liquid that is secreted by the lachrymal gland of the eye to lubricate the surface between the eyeball and eyelid and to wash away irritants."
There have just been many of those "drops of clear salty liquid" sliding down my face ... I have once again allowed myself to let the tears fall over an on-going family sadness. I haven't sat and thought about "it" for some time; and I haven't cried about "it" for sometime. But I just now did. Those tears flowed, as my thoughts flowed; and, though those tears have not "washed away the irritant" - the reason for the tears - they have brought me a certain amount of relief. Tears don't always change a circumstance, but I think they can help us cope with the circumstance.
A second part of the definition of "tears" says: "a profusion of this liquid spilling from the eyes and wetting the cheeks, especially as an expression of emotion".
Well, my emotion has just been "expressed", once again, with my tears. The tightness in my chest has been relieved! Tears really do help us relax; soothe us.
I thank God for these tears. They are a gift; though I often try to "fight" letting them flow. The tears also remind me to rely on God to take care of the CAUSE of the tears. There are some things in life that I can do something about; and there are many things in life that I can do nothing about myself. I MUST rely on God and His promises - that He IS "in charge", even though I might not understand what He's doing (or not) at the moment. God's timing is certainly not mine. I want it DONE and NOW! The definition of "done" and "now" to God may be a whole different definition than mine. I often need to reread the definition of "patience".
As a Christian, I know God loves me, and everyone else. He does. And I believe that God Himself lets the tears fall sometimes because of us; because He loves us so. Jesus did! So, I will "accept" my tears, as they come. Be glad the floodgates opened and relieved the stress of the situation. But, I will also be looking forward to the time when those tears will no longer be necessary. No more reasons for the tears. No more illness, death, family sadness.
I cling to God's promises:
"Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him." (the Bible: Psalm 126:5-6 - NIV version)
and:
"He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." (the Bible: Revelation 21:4 - NIV version)
Amen! to that.
There have just been many of those "drops of clear salty liquid" sliding down my face ... I have once again allowed myself to let the tears fall over an on-going family sadness. I haven't sat and thought about "it" for some time; and I haven't cried about "it" for sometime. But I just now did. Those tears flowed, as my thoughts flowed; and, though those tears have not "washed away the irritant" - the reason for the tears - they have brought me a certain amount of relief. Tears don't always change a circumstance, but I think they can help us cope with the circumstance.
A second part of the definition of "tears" says: "a profusion of this liquid spilling from the eyes and wetting the cheeks, especially as an expression of emotion".
Well, my emotion has just been "expressed", once again, with my tears. The tightness in my chest has been relieved! Tears really do help us relax; soothe us.
I thank God for these tears. They are a gift; though I often try to "fight" letting them flow. The tears also remind me to rely on God to take care of the CAUSE of the tears. There are some things in life that I can do something about; and there are many things in life that I can do nothing about myself. I MUST rely on God and His promises - that He IS "in charge", even though I might not understand what He's doing (or not) at the moment. God's timing is certainly not mine. I want it DONE and NOW! The definition of "done" and "now" to God may be a whole different definition than mine. I often need to reread the definition of "patience".
As a Christian, I know God loves me, and everyone else. He does. And I believe that God Himself lets the tears fall sometimes because of us; because He loves us so. Jesus did! So, I will "accept" my tears, as they come. Be glad the floodgates opened and relieved the stress of the situation. But, I will also be looking forward to the time when those tears will no longer be necessary. No more reasons for the tears. No more illness, death, family sadness.
I cling to God's promises:
"Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him." (the Bible: Psalm 126:5-6 - NIV version)
and:
"He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." (the Bible: Revelation 21:4 - NIV version)
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