WEDNESDAY HODGEPODGE

1. What's your worst food memory?  How about one of your best?
WORST:

McDonald's surprised me with broken light bulb in my "two all beef patties special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onion s, on a sesame seed bun"...thankfully it didn't cut my mouth...my parents were NOT happy.  

BEST:

What fun it was on a date with my first boyfriend and his family at a 'swanky' restaurant her in town...ordered escargot for the 1st time...blown away by it's wonderful garlic butter, panko crumbs and cute little 'plucking' fork...what a GREAT night that was for me at the age of 16...one of the first times feeling 'big'.

 2. Do you appreciate people telling it like it is, or would you rather a speaker temper his/her words and maybe beat around the bush a little?  How about when you're the one communicating...which type are you?
My appreciating speakers varies sometimes according to my time limitations...sometimes my ears are needing to move on to other things; however, truth and common sense play into it also for me.  Blowing smoke and deception turn me quickly. 

Over the years I've had to become more of a 'driving' speaker to my husband, because he doesn't want to hear a lot of fluff, hahah!  I can be wonderfully flowery with my gal pals though!


 3. What's your favorite place to hang out?

My blue leather recliner fits my body very nicely...and there's a sweet spot on the loveseat in our parlor at church. 
 4. When do you most feel like you're a slave to time?
Having dinner on the table between 6:00 and 7:00...sometimes bittersweet now that collegegirl is out on her own; always have someone missing from the table now.
5. What was the last concert you attended?  Who'd you go with? Was it any good?
July 4th our chancel choir at church performed their "Independence Day" celebration with full orchestra and Biblical readings/vignettes.
 6. Reality TV...harmful or harmless?  What's your guilty pleasure when it comes to reality TV?
There is no such things as reality tv; they've convince so many people that tv is real...believe me, it is not. 

I entertain the silliness of DUCK DYNASTY and their continuing in witness as they visit churches and give their testimonies.

7. What's something you think is overrated?
Being on reality tv is overrated...look deep at the many who have done it...certainly doesn't seem their lives are better because of it

kind of like politics and its ability to ruin someone's decision making.

8.  My RANDOM THOUGHT:  our MIRACLE!

MY GREAT NIECE, KATIE, WAS DISCHARGED FROM THE HOSPITAL

8 DAYS AFTER RECEIVING A NEW HEART!  

THIS IS HER HEART SURGEON...

Thank you, Dr. Kogon











FIRST OUTING in the sun, 8 days post heart transplant

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Uncle Charles and I are so proud of you FOR: 

keeping the doctors and nurses on their toes

and loving on them like you love on US! 

 

I'm so eager to see you but I have a cold and don't want to share the germs with you. 

 

You keep loving on MoMo until I can see you for REALZ, okay? 

 

(I love You, Lord, and I lift my voice. To worship You, oh, my soul rejoice! Take joy, my King, in what you hear! May it be a sweet, sweet sound in Your ear!)



 

GATHERING SUPER-BOWL RECIPES

Question Of The Week

What Inspired Your Blog Name?

my hands HIS GLORY expresses my want to serve, live, and create but fully giving HIM praise for the ability to each of those blessings.

I'm the less...He's the GREATEST.

Gathering memories of daily life, to share with my daughter and praying her life is defined by Him as well. 

I like to write on this BLOG and I like to collect ideas on Pinterest...loving new finds.
THE GIRL WHO AT EVERYTHING is a new FIND while blogging.  Isn't that a GREAT name?!!

Between Pinterest and Blogging, these two recipes she noted are definitely things I'm going to try for this year's Superbowl:

Buffalo Wing Turkey Lettuce Wraps
Source: barely adapted from Sweet Treats and More
1 pound lean ground turkey
1/2 cup onion, diced finely
1 teaspoon minced garlic
3/4 cup carrot shavings (use a vegetable peeler to make shavings)
1 cup celery, sliced thinly
1 head iceberg lettuce, leaves removed to form cups
salt and pepper 
1/2 cup Frank's Red Hot Buffalo wing sauce
Blue cheese crumbles or blue cheese dressing to drizzle over the top
*I used some blue cheese crumbles and a tablespoon of Litehouse Bleu Cheese Vinaigrette just like my SIL, but don't feel like you have to have the dressing to make these...they are good with just the crumbles too.

1. In a large skillet, saute the onions over medium heat until soft (3-4 minutes). Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add ground turkey, season with a dash of salt and pepper, brown meat and cook until cooked through. Drain any grease if necessary.

2. Return meat to pan and stir in the wing sauce. Reduce heat to low and simmer for a couple of minutes.

3. Prepare lettuce cups. Place spoonful of meat into lettuce cup

4.  top with a few carrot shavings and chopped celery. 

5.  Sprinkle with some blue cheese crumbles and/or dressing. Wrap up and start eating!

as well as:
Bloomin' Pizza Bread


The Girl Who Ate Everything has great ideas!


John 8:31 "If you continue in my word, then you are truly Disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."

Blessings,

MENU-PLAN MONDAY

MONDAY: CROCKPOT CURRY/AMARETTO CHICKEN

Ingredients

· 4 to 6 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless·

 1/2 cup flour

· 1 teaspoon Madras curry powder

· 1 teaspoon garlic powder

· 1/4 teaspoon salt

· 1/4 teaspoon pepper

· 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

· 1 can cream of mushroom soup

· 1 can or jar mushrooms (4 ounces or more - or use fresh)

· 1/4 cup amaretto

· 1 teaspoon Gravymaster or Kitchen Bouquet

· 2 tablespoons lemon juiceInstructions

1. Mix flour, curry powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a plastic or paper bag. 

 2. Add chicken breasts (rinsed and patted dry) and toss to coat. Brown quickly in hot vegetable oil over medium high heat. Transfer to slow cooker. 

 3. Mix remaining ingredients and spoon over chicken. Cover and cook 

TUESDAY:   Ended up making "Spaghetti Squash Lasagna"

separating spaghetti squash from shell (after microwaving for 10 mins on high, with multiple holes in top of squash/sitting in a bowl)

After draining spaghetti squash, layer it the same as lasagna...placing in the casserole dish with 16 oz tomato sauce, leftover roasted-chopped chicken (2 breasts), 3/4c ricotta-1 egg w/ italian seasoning to taste mix, topped with 1/2 c mozzarella, bake 350*/30mins


Chicken Tagine     

By: KJones "Apricots, ginger, cinnamon, and cumin give this slow cooked chicken and vegetable dinner a savory and sweet Moroccan flavor." 

INGREDIENTS: 

2 tablespoons olive oil 

8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut 

into 1-inch pieces 

1 eggplant, cut into 1 inch cubes 

2 large onions, thinly sliced 

4 large carrots, thinly sliced 

1/2 cup dried cranberries 

1/2 cup chopped dried apricots 

2 cups chicken broth 

2 tablespoons tomato paste 

2 tablespoons lemon juice 

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 

2 teaspoons garlic salt 

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin 

1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger 

1 teaspoon cinnamon 

3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 

1 cup water 

1 cup couscous

DIRECTIONS: 

1. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Place the chicken pieces and eggplant in the heated oil; stir and cook until the chicken is browned on all sides but not cooked through. Remove the skillet from the heat. 

2. Place the browned chicken and eggplant on the bottom of a slow cooker. Layer the onion, carrots, dried cranberries, and apricots over the chicken. 

3. Whisk together the chicken broth, tomato paste, lemon juice, flour, garlic salt, cumin, ginger, cinnamon, and ground black pepper in a bowl. Pour the broth mixture into the slow cooker with the chicken and vegetables. 

4. Cook on High setting for 5 hours, or on Low setting for 8 hours. 

5. Bring water to boil in a saucepan. Stir in couscous, and remove from heat. Cover, and let stand about 5 minutes, until liquid has been absorbed. Fluff with a fork. 

WEDNESDAY:     White Chile (8-10 svgs)

6 c. chicken broth1 lb.
Great Northern beans (Clean and soak overnight, or use canned)
1 sm chopped onion
1 clove minced garlic
7 oz. diced green chiles
2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. cayenne1 tsp white pepperSalt, to taste4 c. chicken, dicedFlour tortillas
Combine all ingredients except tortillas.

For canned beans, simmer approx 1 to 1 ½ hours. For dried, throw it all in a slow cooker and simmer all day. (best when cooked all day—flavors “meld”)
Put a flour tortilla in the bottom of a bowl and kind of cone-shape it so it follows the shape of the bowl. Fill with the white chile and then serve with desired garnishes. Easily adapted for a bigger crowd.

garnishes: shredded cheese (jack/cheddar), chopped green onions, chopped olives, chopped avocados, chopped tomatoes. 

THURSDAY:  Pork Roast with Hard Cider Gravy Recipe courtesy Claire Robinson

Ingredients: 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus 1 tablespoon cold2 1/2 pound pork loin roast, trimmed and tiedKosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper 1 onion, peeled and sliced2 Granny Smith apples, cored and sliced 1 bottle, (12 oz) hard cider

DirectionsPreheat oven to 375 degrees F.Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add 2 tablespoons of butter. Season the pork generously with salt and pepper, to taste, and sear on all sides in the hot pan until golden brown; set aside.

Add the onions and apples and season again with salt and pepper. Cook until they begin to caramelize, then pour in the hard cider and scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer and nestle the browned pork roast back into the pan.

Cover with a lid and put in the oven to braise until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, 25 to 30 minutes.

Remove the pork roast from the pot and transfer to a carving board; tent with foil to keep warm. Transfer the contents of the pot to a food processor or blender and puree, then return the puree to the pan. Bring to a boil, season with salt and pepper, to taste, then reduce the heat to low and add more cider if gravy is too thick. Add the remaining tablespoon of cold butter, whisking constantly as it melts. Remove from heat when the gravy is smooth and shiny and the butter is completely melted.

FRIDAY:   Tilapia Pitas 

 INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup mayonnaise 

1/4 cup Italian salad dressing 

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese 

2 anchovy fillets, drained

1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste 

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste

1 pinch salt 

3 tablespoons olive oil 

1 pound tilapia fillets 

1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper 

salt and cayenne pepper to taste 

4 cups iceberg lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces 

1 small red onion, chopped 

6 pita breads, cut in half

DIRECTIONS: 1. In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, Italian dressing, feta cheese and anchovies. Season with cayenne pepper, black pepper and salt. Mix until well blended, then set aside. 2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the tilapia fillets in the skillet, and season with lemon pepper, salt and cayenne. Fry until browned on each side, and fish flakes easily with a fork, 5 to 7 minutes. 3. Warm pita breads in the toaster or in the microwave to soften. Open from the cut side to make pockets. Fill pita bread halves with lettuce, onion, and tilapia fillets, then spoon in some of the feta cheese sauce. Serve and enjoy!

SNEAKY MOMS UNITE…

JOINING THE MOMMY JOURNEY  

(CLICK ON MOMMY MOMENTS)

DO IDEAS SNEAK UP ON YOU?

sometimes they sneak up on me…

sometimes I like being THE SNEAKY one.

I SNEAK 3-4 of the ‘carry packs’ of BENEFIBER into iced tea that I make and put in the refrigerator; we are at that age of NEEDING lots of fiber.


I SNEAK ‘whole-wheat/9grain’ bread croutons into the meatloaf (continuing to enhance our fiber intake).

I SNEAK ‘almond milk’ or ‘soy milk’ into many of the recipes I make (just to cut down on the animal fat we ingest).

I SNEAK many leftovers into soups, casseroles or cold salads (because my mom and granny taught me NEVER to waste meat or vegetables).

HOW and WHEN have you been SNEAKY lately?

NATIONAL FREE PANCAKE DAY...while pancake day is 3.8.2011

Have you eaten a free pancake today?

IHOP's getting a jump on 'Fat Tuesday' and they're hoping to get $2.3 million for charities. 
I'll have to drive by and see if the line is out the door.

The Washington Examiner talks about it being a taxpayer's rebate...

Do you know when the real "pancake day" occurs?  It's FAT TUESDAY, MardiGras...and it is next Tuesday, March 8.
...

On Wikipedia, it notes England has celebrated pancake day back to the 12th century
  This year we get to celebrate PANCAKES twice!!

Jer. 33:3 "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."   Blessings,

ANOTHER 'NO-BAKE' in case you need a quick recipe

No-Bake Fudgy Snow Balls

Servings: 21 • Serving Size: 1 cookie • Old Points: 1 pt • Points+: 2 pts

Calories: 69.5 • Fat: 3.8 g • Carb: 9.2 g • Fiber: 2.2 g • Protein: 2.1 g

15 pitted dates

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup whole roasted unsalted almonds

1 tbsp honey

2 tbsp water (or more if needed)

3 tbsp confectioner's sugar

Add almonds to your food processor and pulse until ground. Add dates, cocoa powder, honey, and water. Mix until it forms a sticky mass. If it seems too dry, add a little water, 1 tsp at a time. Wash hands and using damp hands (keep sink running) measure 1 tbsp and roll into a ball with the dough. Set balls on parchment paper.

Put confectioner's sugar in a bowl. Roll balls in your hand and then roll in sugar.

Can be stored in the fridge for up to a week.

Thanks, Gina...

Jer. 33:3

"Call to me and I will answer you

and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."

Blessings,

COOKIE ANYONE?...COOKIE EXCHANGE

JOINING the Bowyers FOR A GREAT COOKIE EXCHANGE...at such an opportune time...I can have some new cookies to keep out through the Holidays.  My selection is an EASY PEASY...I like easy peasy, don't you?!

Orange Bites
1 box of vanilla wafers - usually 12oz

1 6oz can of frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

1 box of powdered sugar - 16oz

1/2 cup butter

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

1 cup toasted, shredded coconut (optional)

Crush the vanilla wafers until fine.

Mix vanilla wafers, orange juice, powdered sugar, butter, and chopped pecans.

Shape the mixture into walnut-size balls.  Store the bites in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator. (If you like toasted coconut, you can roll them in some coconut before storing.)

Makes approx. 5 dozen cookies.

So easy - yet so delicious!


Jer. 33:3

"Call to me and I will answer you

and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know." Blessings,

MY 'HORRING -MONES NEED A RENFROE FIX... ANYONE W/ ME?

\
THERE'S SOMETHING THERAPEUTIC IN KNOWING OTHERS RELATE TO MY DAYS, NIGHTS, THIS OBLIVION CALLED MENOPAUSE...

Jer. 33:3

"Call to me and I will answer you

and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know." Blessings,

FLASHBACK FRIDAY, food thoughts

click the button above to READ ALL THE CONTRIBUTORS :)

What were meals like when you were growing up?

Simple Southern...very little frying due to my Daddy having a heart attack @ 34yo. Mama would "shake-n-bake" so we had some crunch.

Lots of veggies, fresh from Daddy's little garden...tomatoes mainly. We didn't have air conditioning, so summer foods were cold sandwiches, salads...didn't want to make the kitchen hot with the stove.

Did your mom (or dad) cook (and was it from scratch or from a box?) or did your family eat out much of the time?

Daddies cook?? Not in our house. He rarely even went into the kitchen, unless it was to FIX something broken, like the ice maker.

No, Mama used to hand deliver everything to Daddy...tea, peanut butter & cereal...he'd have a snack each night, hand-delivered to the couch in the den, of course.

Rarely did my mama ever get anything out of a box...scratch was her comfort zone...and I learned A LOT! And, her working so hard with the cooking, meant we ate it all; we didn't go out to eat much.

I remember what a BIG DEAL it was the first time we got to eat a ChickFilA sandwich AT THE MALL! In the early 70s our new Mall was THE PLACE to go. Malls were a NEW THING for us and then the WOW of that sandwich just put it over the top...it was sooooo good....but, they WERE $1.00 for a sandwich, so we didn't get them often.

A night out for us when I was growing up was stopping at the KFC on the way home from picking Daddy up from work...had one car and mama would get the car on Fridays to do grocery shopping. I loved Fridays...we'd get to stop for supper.

Did you eat together as a family or was everyone on a different schedule? What did you call meals? (Dinner vs. supper, lunch, etc.)

Suppertime was ALWAYS our tradition, still is...I've worked hard to ensure we sit at the table together--not answering the phone, this is when the machine gets USED.

We struggled with having specific suppertime during travel-ball softball seasons; but, even then, we'd sit together as families and have fund talking. I'm a TRUE believer in keeping supper discussions to POSITIVES ONLY...it is NOT correction time at the table.

Sunday lunch is called Sunday dinner. Period.

What were some of your favorite things that your parent fixed? What did you dislike and vow never to fix once you grew up?

My Daddy's ONE item he cooked...tbone steaks on Saturday nights. He made his own bbq sauce, sweet-savory, that he'd slather on the meat the last 5 minutes before he removed it from the grill...omgoodness, I still can taste the little bit of char mixed with that wonderful sauce.

Mother would always have fresh potatoes, laSeuer english peas, an a small side salad (with Green Goddess dressing as MY choice!)

My Mother's grilled boston butts were AMAZING...just above her roast and gravy(from scratch).

She'd make us saltine crackers, peanut butter, and marshmallows baked in the toaster oven for a quick snack...one of my favs, still!

And nothing says Summer to me like Watergate Salad...cold and pistachio jello, what could be better?

Watergate Salad

1 8 oz. tub favorite whipped topping (like Cool Whip)

1 3 oz. box pistachio gelatin

1 Cup cottage cheese (low fat, small curd)

1 8 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained

Combine ingredients, mix well. Pour into a gelatin mold; chill 1 1/2 hrs

Did your family have any food traditions, things that were a must on certain occasions (such as Sunday dinners or holiday meals)?

Lasagna on Christmas Eve...go figure. Sunday Dinner roast.

Did your parent teach you to cook or did you wing it once you were grown?

Mother taught me several baking recipes, like brownies, peanut brittle and I watched a lot. She has received phone calls from me multiple times throughout the years when my interpretation of some of the recipes were blurry...and I have many of her recipes in my box. We LOVE to share recipes and discuss ways to cut the fat and sugar these days.

How similar or different are your family's eating habits today than when you grew up?

Ours are very similar...it has been INTENTIONAL. Many families have GiVEN UP on even trying to make supper time together...that will be this country's downfall.

Jer. 33:3

"Call to me and I will answer you

and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."Blessings,

FALL INTO FLAVOR 1/5

Joining Linda @ 2ndCup

It's Fall...

when I think Fall, I think PUMPKIN

So,

I'll start with the EASIEST recipe I've ever made...

PUMPKIN MUFFINS

1 can 'pumpkin pie mix'

1 box, yellow cake

Mix ingredients, pour into greased muffin tins, bake 20-22 mins in 350* oven

That's it!! :)

FALL also brings different Messianic/Jewish celebrations...Sukkot was most recent...this is from BETH ADONAI (a Bible Based (Old and Renewed Covenant) Congregation worshipING the way Yeshua/JESUS and his disciples did. They celebrate the feasts and practices of the Torah as they experience Mathew 5:17 where Yeshua said "I have not come to abolish the

Torah or the Prophets, but to bring them to their fullness.")

(Sukkot is first mentioned in the Bible as the name of the first stopping place of the Israelites on their journey out of Egypt in

Exodus.)

Genesis 33:17

“Ya’acov went on to Sukkot, where he built himself a house and put up shelters for his cattle. This is why the place is called Sukkot [shelters].”

The word "sukkot" actually means "woven". These shelters (booths) were woven together from branches and leaves to

protect the animals from the sun, so sukkot later came to mean the hut or booth with the "woven" roof. Since we are

commanded to build a hut or booth on this holiday as a reminder of G-d's sheltering care for us, this feast is called

"Sukkot". (One booth is a "sukkah", and being a feminine noun, in Hebrew the plural becomes "sukkot".)

Leviticus 23:42-43

“You are to live in sukkot for seven days; every citizen of Israel is to live in sukkah, so that generation after generation of you

will know that I made the people of Israel live in sukkot when I brought them out of the land of Egypt; I am Adonai your God.”