I Hate Surprises!

Have I mentioned that I hate surprises??  I guess it is a control issue.  I always want to look at the very least reasonably decent when someone comes to see me.

Now I have 4 levels of clothing in my closet.  My very best that I am not ashamed to be seen in, my daily casual clothes, also OK for wearing out and about , my comfortable around the house clothes that I prefer NOT to be seen in, and my cleaning -the -house clothes. To coin a phrase- I wouldn’t want to be caught dead in these!!!

My friend Leah had tried to surprise me in the past, but told my husband of the plan…and he of course, spilled the beans to me.  So, actress that I am, I was able to pretend that Leah from OH showing up on my IN doorstep was a huge surprise.

Of course, the house was clean, I had a meal prepared, and was wearing a decent outfit.  It was a fun surprise!

I made the mistake of introducing my good friend Leah in OH to my good friend Pam from IN.  I’m kidding about this…it wasn’t a mistake, and the 2 really enjoyed meeting each other.  But when my husband was out of town on business, they conspired together to surprise me with a visit on my birthday.

Of course, the house was disheveled, I had on no make-up, and a frozen pizza was on the menu that night.

I am ashamed to admit it, but I was pretty irritated at their little impromptu party where I was caught looking like something the dog dragged up.  It took a few minutes, but I got over my pride.

It is true that had I known they were pulling these shenanigans, I would have been better prepared, but the end result was good. We talked, laughed, & ate chocolate.  I knew they loved me just as I was.

 You know folks, Jesus is coming back unannounced.  The bible tells us to live our lives in such a way that we are not caught off guard at His return.  If you have accepted Him as Savior, He will take you as you are.  But honestly, wouldn’t YOU rather be prepared for His coming and unashamed at how he finds you.  I sure would.

 I want to talk, and laugh, and perhaps even eat chocolate at the marriage supper of the Lamb.  Here is a recipe for Chocolate Delight.  It is heavenly!

CHOCOLATE DELIGHT

1 stick butter or margarine, melted 1/2 c. confectioners sugar

1 c. pecans, chopped finely (measure, then chop)

1 c. all purpose flour 

24 oz. frozen whipped topping, thawed 

3 pkgs. instant chocolate pudding (four serving per box)

4-1/2 c. milk

1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened

Place nuts into food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add in flour and melted butter. Pulse to combine. Press crust into 9 x 13 sheet pan. Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 12-18 minutes until lightly browned. Cool completely. 

In mixing bowl, beat softened cream cheese until smooth. Add confectioners sugar and beat.

Scrape down sides and beat until smooth. Fold in 1/2 of the whipped topping. Spread evenly over the cooled crust. 

Mix the pudding and the milk until well combined.  While still fluid, pour the pudding over the cream layer. Cover with plastic wrap and  refrigerate for several hours.

 Before serving, spread the remaining whipped topping and garnish with chocolate shavings. (I take a chocolate bar and make shavings with a potato peeler.)

Note: This recipe has been around for years and it is one my daughter wants for her  birthday instead of cake. Once I served it to a friend who had never had it before and I

declare...he swooned!! Substitute lemon for the chocolate if you wish. It's sooo good!!

Confectionately  Yours,

Sue

Comfort Food

What do you think of when you hear the phrase ‘comfort food?’

I get visions of Sunday afternoon at my Great Aunt Lucille’s house when I was growing up -Platters of fried chicken and mashed potatoes, and gravy. 

Sometimes my Dad’s homemade macaroni and cheese floats into my brain, and I  MUST HAVE MAC AND CHEESE.

The question is….does food really comfort, or is it the situation where we consumed it the comforting part?

My great aunt really seemed to enjoy having our big family over for Sunday dinner.  My older brothers were always cutting up and laughing.

 

My parents and my great aunt and uncle would sit around the table talking about grown-up things.  I found that a little boring then, but I totally understand the appeal of that now.  The fellowship really is the best part of a meal.

On mac and cheese day, I felt my Dad’s provision and the security of home during meal time.  The food tasted extra good then.

Is it any wonder the bible tells in Proverbs 15:17 -Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a fattened ox and hatred with it?

It is even better when the food is delicious, AND the love prevalent.

Here is my Daddy’s mac and cheese recipe....

MACARONI AND CHEESE

8 oz. elbow macaroni (equals 6-1/2 c. when cooked)

1/4 c. butter 

1/2 c. flour

1 (12-oz.) can evaporated milk 

8 oz. Velveeta (pasteurized process cheese food)

2-4 oz. sharp cheddar, grated

1-1/2 c. milk

salt and pepper, to taste

Cook pasta in boiling salted water for 6 min's or until it's still a little on the firm side.

It will cook through when baked.

Melt butter in a saucepan, then  whisk in flour. Incorporate the evaporated milk a little at a time, whisking until smooth. Add the rest of the milk, stirring constantly with whisk over medium heat until thickened. Salt lightly to taste. The cheese will also be salty so keep this in mind as you season.

Spray a 2-1/2 qt. casserole dish with non-stick spray. Place 1/2 of the macaroni in the dish, top with 1/2 of the Velveeta, cut in very small chunks, and 1/2 of the white sauce. 

Repeat layers and top with the sharp cheddar. Bake in a 350° oven

for 40- 45 minutes until cheeses are melted and sauce is bubbly. Serve immediately.

Sauce will thicken as it sits, so add a little milk when reheating casserole.

Note: My dad made the best mac and cheese in the world-or maybe it just seemed that way a bunch of hungry kids. The "blue box" just can't compete with this. Be sure to salt the water well-pasta is bland without it. Feel free to add ham chunks or your favorite cheese as part of the mix. Velveeta melts so smoothly that it should at least be part of the sauce. 

Confectionately  Yours,

Sue

Come & Dine

My church has a theme song that speaks to me.  My pastor, whom we affectionately refer to as simply Preacher, leads the song every Sunday.  Sometimes he humorously rewrites the words to reflect a holiday or situation, but every Sunday the chorus remains the same as the congregation chimes in.

Come & Dine, the Master calleth, Come and Dine.
You may feast at Jesus table all the time.
He who fed the multitude, turned the water into wine,
To the hungry calleth now, “Come and Dine.”

One Sunday, a 40ish year old man slipped out of the choir to just stand beside Preacher during this song time.  His name is Billy, and he has Downs Syndrome.

Preacher handled this unexpected turn of events with his usual grace.  From that Sunday forward, we were treated to the "Preacher and Billy Show."

As the music for Come and Dine begins, Billy steps forward to take his place beside Preacher.  Between verses, the music quiets, and Preacher asks Billy about some aspect of his week, his opinion of the service that day, or comments on Billy’s suit. He is always dressed in his Sunday best.  We never know just how Billy is going to respond, but the results are often hysterical. 

On really special Sundays, we are treated with the addition of another sweet young man named Bo.  He is Preacher's  grandson, and he, too, has Downs Syndrome. 

When Bo was born, his condition was a shock to the family.  But out of their grief and healing, the Lord has given them a special heart for the developmentally challenged.   We have witnessed these young men as believers in Christ with an ever present child-like faith.  It is sweet to behold.

Since Bo loves pasta, I am posting my Spaghetti sauce recipe on my blog today.  I never make it without remembering the time that Bo ate 3 helpings at one sitting.  When we sing Come and Dine, we mean it!!!



QUICK SPAGHETTI SAUCE

1 lb. ground beef

1 env. McCormick spaghetti sauce mix

 1/2 c. onions, chopped

1 (16-oz.) can tomatoes, diced

1 large jar, Prego-Traditional flavor

water, if needed, to thin sauce

Brown ground beef and onions, Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 20 minutes. This is my all purpose pasta sauce for spaghetti, lasagna, stuffed pasta shells, etc. Substitute tomato sauce for the canned tomatoes if you don't like a chunky sauce.

And here is another good sauce......

MARINARA SAUCE

3 T. olive oil 

3 cloves garlic, chopped 

1 onion, finely chopped

1 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

1 tsp. dried oregano

1-1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning

1 carrot, peeled & chopped

1 (16-oz.) can stewed tomatoes 

1 T. sugar

2 (16-oz.) cans diced tomatoes

2-3 c. water

1 tsp. salt 

1 lb. cooked meatballs, if desired

Finely chop the onion and chop the carrot into very tiny pieces. Heat the olive oil in a

large Dutch oven and saute' the garlic, onion and carrot until soft, about 10 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the seasonings only and simmer

for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce should be cooked until the carrots are

tender and the sauce has thickened.

 I have simmered it up to 3 hours on the stove

adding additional liquid as needed.  During the last hour, add the meatballs and additional water, if needed to achieve the consistency you desire. Serve over hot spaghetti with a sprinkling of

Parmesan. Sauce could be made in crock pot, but less water would be needed and

cooking time would be increased.

Note: My goal for my cookbook was to include recipes from shelf stable items one can keep

in the pantry. This recipe is an excellent example of this. When fresh tomatoes,

peppers, and onions are in abundance in the garden, this sauce would be a great way

to use them and freeze for winter use. If a thicker sauce desired, add some tomato

paste.

                                        Confectionately  Yours,

Sue

"Co-incidental" Meetings

Years ago, my husband was stationed in Alaska.  It was winter & snowing.  I was walking my dog in when a woman walking HER dog came toward me.  As she I approached, I had a sudden recognition.  “Margaret?” I exclaimed.  “Sue?” she replied.

Turns out HER husband had just been transferred to Eielson AFB near Fairbanks.  We had met each other in Omaha, NE.  I could hardly believe our paths had crossed in the frozen North!!  In fact, she had moved in next door to me & I had been so involved in my own stuff, I had barely noticed I had new neighbors.

It was the first time this had happened to me in my life-this running into people so far away from our first meeting.  But it was not to be the last.

When stationed in the Dayton area, I was invited to coffee at a new friend’s home only to be introduced to someone I had known in Bossier City, LA!  She recognized me first & squealed with delight over our renewed friendship. 

Keep in mind, these were the days before Facebook!! I see these incidents as Divine appointments, orchestrated by a loving Father her knows that the friendships we make here can last for Eternity. 

My latest “coincidence” involved an impromptu visit to my church.  I was inquiring about some needed kitchen duties during VBS.  Sitting in the church office, I saw a man enter, along with 3 kids.  His wife brought up the rear.  I was surprised to recognize her immediately, then her husband as friends we knew when my husband was stationed at the Pentagon in the DC area.

John & Marie had answered God’s call to Australia as missionaries.  It had been 15 years since I had seen them until that ‘chance’ meeting in the church office.

Their schedule allowed for a 2 day stay in the area & I promptly invited to my home.  Such impulsivity could have been cause for alarm, but at least for this time, I was pretty much ready for company. 

I do a quick inspection of my freezer weekly, so I knew what was available food-wise.  I had frozen some  queso dip leftover from my son’s birthday party the month prior.  I decided to go Tex-Mex using cooked rotisserie chickens as the basis for chicken tacos.  Adding salad fixings rounded out the meal.  I also had frozen cookie dough on hand for dessert.

The time visiting was wonderful & I am grateful that the Lord renewed this friendship.  Here is the recipe for that Cheesy Taco Dip that was the inspiration for our Tex-Mex dinner.

Cheesy Taco Dip

1  (10 oz.)can  Ro-tel diced tomatoes & green chilies

1 lb. Velvetta Cheese

1 can chili with beans (optional)

Heat Ro-tel in microwave with the cheese, stirring every minute until melted.  Add chili, if desired.  Place in crock pot to keep warm.  Serve with tortilla chips.

Confectionately  Yours,

Sue

I Hate Change...Unless it is on My Terms

Have you ever noticed much we humans hate change, unless it is on our terms?

2010 was a huge year of changes for me…all of which were mostly out of my control.  I was learning to live without my husband of 31 years, I sold my home in IN, bought a new one in OH, had the IN buyers back out on the sale, downsized my 32 years of accumulating worldly possessions, moved to Ohio, started a new job, moved my son to Ohio away from the friends and familiarity he had known for most of his growing up years, started a complete kitchen remodel that is still not done, and yes, after 9 months of supporting 2 households, finally sold the IN one.

There was one constant in my ever changing, and often terrifying new life- God’s presence and unfailing love.

The word compassion in Isaiah 54:10 is the Hebrew word racham, which means “to soothe; to cherish; to love deeply like parents; to be compassionate, be tender…This verb usually refers to a strong love which is rooted in some kind of natural bond,

How would you like to memorize half of a psalm in the next sixty seconds?  Want to give it a try?  Turn to Psalm 136.  After each sentence, there is an echo, “His love endures forever.”  Just say that sentence twenty-six times and you’ve quoted half of the Psalm! The Psalmist begins by reminding us of how God created the universe and all it contains. Then he continues by reminiscing how God led the captive Israelites out of Egypt, across the parted Red Sea, through the arid desert, and into the lush Promised Land conquering enemies at every turn.  And through it all, one thing remained the same – “His love endures forever!”

There may be times in our lives when we cry, “Where are you God?  Don’t you care what is happening to me?  I can’t hear You.  I can’t see Your hand working in my life.”  But be assured of this.  Even when we can’t sense God’s presence, He is always there.  Always.  And through it all, one thing remains the same – “His love endures forever!”

One of the ways I show love and caring to others is to bake for them.  Today I share the ultimate Lemon Bar.  I bake these for my pastor & his wife when I want to encourage them.  

I'm Sue Murphy...& I am Confectionately Yours.

TRIPLE LAYERED LEMON
BARS
Crust
1/2 c. butter 1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 c. confectioners sugar 1 c. all purpose flour

Cream butter and sugar. Add vanilla, then flour. Press dough into 8 x 8 pan.
Refrigerate crust 30 minutes. Prick crust with fork; then bake 30 minutes in a
preheated 325° oven for 20-30 minutes or until brown.

Cream cheese filling

1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 egg
1-1/2 c. powdered sugar 
1 tsp. lemon extract
Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add egg and lemon extract. Spread evenly
over crust. Top with lemon curd.

Lemon curd

4 egg yolks
1 T. cornstarch
3/4 c. water
3/4 c. sugar
2 tsp. lemon peel, grated
1/4 c. fresh lemon juice
2 T. butter, softened

Blend egg yolks with cornstarch. Place on low heat and whisk in water and lemon
juice. Increase heat to med-low and cook, stirring constantly until mixture thickens
enough to cover the back of a spoon. Remove from heat. Add lemon peel and butter; cool for 10 minutes. Spread lemon curd evenly over cream cheese layer. 

Bake 30-40 minutes or until edges begin to turn light brown. Cool to room temp. Chill 1 hour before cutting. Dust top with confectioners sugar.

Note: These are the ultimate lemon bar. When recipes call for eggs, use large eggs
unless otherwise noted. Large eggs are the standard in baking. Also 1 large egg
usually = 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons), so you can successfully half a recipe that calls for 1 egg by beating the egg, measuring and removing half

In Whatsoever STATE You Live in, Therewith Be Content

There was a period of time in my life where the phrase, “If Mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy!!”  was a sad truth.

I had developed a habit of complaining about the state God put me in…and it was Texas!!  

My husband had just retired from the Air Force, and we had left the Dayton area, and my beloved church family.  While I went willingly on the outside, my insides were kicking and screaming.

As a girl thinketh in her so heart, so is she, says Proverbs 23:7!!  Little by little, I began to interject small complaints into my conversations with others.  I noticed that Texans really do think Texas is the biggest and best.  There were even bumper stickers with the phrase, “I wasn’t born in Texas…but I got here as fast as I could!!”  That just made me want to seriously roll my eyes, yall!!

My pastor, a native Texan,  got fed up with my snarky comments about his beloved home and said to me, “You know Sue, Paul said, “Whatsoever STATE you are in, therewith be content.”

I shot back, “Well, Paul never lived in Texas!!”  Now I SAID it in a joking manner, but I was seriously not about to accept that I was OK with living there.

The apostle Paul suffered being beaten with whips more than once, he was stoned, he was shipwrecked 3 times, put in prison, and bitten by snakes, (I hate snakes!) and survived it ALL by the grace of God and even praised Him for these circumstances….and I had the gall to compare MY comfortable life in Texas with the trials of this amazing man of God.

The outcome of my story is that at times I had a big ole pity party and 18 months into this bad attitude, I finally submitted to God’s will in my life for me to be there. I asked His forgiveness for this bitterness I had allowed in my heart and chose to be content.

The story doesn’t totally end there, but I will have to share that another time.   I’m posting today a wonderful Texas Tortilla Soup recipe.  

TEXAS TORTILLA SOUP

2 T. margarine

1 tsp. each:ground cumin, chili powder, & lemon pepper

non stick cooking spray
1 large onion, chopped

1-2 tsp. hot pepper sauce

1 fresh jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped

1/2 c. flour

5 c. rich chicken broth
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 carrots, finely chopped oil for frying
6 stalks celery, finely chopped 
1 lb. boned, diced chicken (partially frozen dices easier)

8 corn tortillas

Sour cream & grated cheddar for topping-optional

Prepare all vegetables in advance. Dice chicken last to prevent cross contamination from meat. 

In a large soup pot, melt margarine and add chicken. Spray liberally with nonstick spray. Cook, stirring often until chicken is no longer pink. Add onion, celery, carrots, and garlic. Simmer for 5 minutes. 

Add a little broth if needed to keep from sticking. Stir in cumin,chili powder, and lemon pepper. Add tomatoes and 4 cups of the broth. Mix remaining broth and flour together, then stir into the rest of the ingredients. Simmer 20-30 minutes until soup has thickened and vegetables are tender. 

Using a pizza wheel, cut tortillas into thin strips. Fry in oil until golden brown.  Watch carefully, these cook pretty fast.  (Corn chips are a quick substitute)

To serve-Top soup with tortillas, grated cheese and a dollop of sour cream. Makes 2 quarts. Corn chips are a quick substitute for the fried tortillas.

Note: After trying this soup in a restaurant, I requested and was refused the recipe.

My understanding waiter (I left a big tip) gave me the ingredients. After a little bit of tinkering, I came up with this soup, which I think is even better than the one I remember. It's a great way to get your veges.  I also add 1 c. corn &  1 can drained pinto, kidney, or black beans for extra protein.  Sooooo good!!!

‘Til next time, I’m Sue Murphy, & I am...... 

 Confectionately  Yours

The Legend

Four days before my husband’s death, something of significance occurred.  It affected him so much that he not only told me the story twice verbally, he emailed it to me. 

Greg’s previous work had been extremely stressful.  He had a boss that just seemed to blame him when things when wrong, & took all the credit when things went well.  It also required much travel away from home, another aspect he disliked.

My husband had just changed jobs.  In fact, he had been in that job just 2 weeks when he died. 

Greg was a 20 year Air Force veteran who flew in the RC-135, a reconnaissance plane.  He transitioned from being a “crew dog” to a liaison between the flyers & the government contractors who develop the programs and equipment used by them.  After his military career, he became one of those contractors. He had high security clearances.

If I could pinpoint one character weakness in Greg when we first met, it would be his personal lack of confidence.  I saw him overcome this over the years by working hard to do his best at whatever task he was given, but he remained a humble man.

On the Thursday before he died, his new boss took him to meet some of the folks he would be working with on a nearby naval base.  One guy came into the meeting announcing that he could not stay, but that he wanted to meet “The Legend.“

Startled, Greg shook his hand, then turned to his new boss as the guy walked away, and said, “What did you tell them about me?” 

His boss said, “I didn’t tell them anything…they just read your resume.”

Looking back on this time, it was so comforting to know that God allowed confirmation of Greg’s hard work all those years before He took him to his eternal home.  

 

The bible tells us, “What profit is it if a man gains the whole world, but loses his own soul?”  It is most important that one’s resume includes their name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.  I know Greg accepted Christ as his personal Savior in His teens & served him faithfully.  He was a great husband and father.

Today, I will share a recipe for Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas.  My husband loved this dish, & over the years we served it many, many times when we entertained in our home.  Add some rice & a crisp Taco Salad, & you have a complete meal.

SOUR CREAM CHICKEN ENCHILADAS
2 chicken breasts, cooked and diced
1 c. sour cream
3/4 c. onion, diced
1/2 c. flour
5 c. chicken broth 
1 (4-oz.) can green chilies chicken soup base
3 c. Monterey Jack cheese,grated cilantro,dried
10 flour tortillas

Cook chicken until tender in 6 cups water and enough soup base to make a rich broth.

Allow to cool. Cut up chicken in small chunks. Save broth. Whisk flour and sour cream into 5 cups broth until smooth. Add chilies and heat, stirring constantly until thickened. Set aside. 

Mix chicken, 2 cups cheese and onion together. Heat tortillas in microwave, a few at a time, to soften. Place a generous tablespoonful of mixture in tortilla and roll up. 

Spray a 9 x 13 pan with nonstick spray. Place filled tortillas seam side down in dish. Pour sauce over, making sure you cover all the tortilla. Top with cheese and any filling left over. 

Sprinkle cilantro on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30
minutes until sauce is bubbly and cheese is lightly browned. Serve with rice. Yield: 10 enchiladas

Note: It's amazing that such simple ingredients yield such delicious results. You can make all of this ahead of time by filling tortillas and covering with plastic wrap. Make
sauce and refrigerate until time to bake. Do not add sauce until just before baking. 

Do these freeze well? Yes, they do...but keep separate until baking time. Leftovers reheat well in microwave.

Laughter....& a recipe

I have a friend and Sunday school teacher who greets me each week by calling me “Sweet Sue.”  Sometimes, when he wants to be funny, he calls me “Sweet and Sour Sue.”  Sometimes he asks me which Sue I am that day.

I joke back by telling him, I was Sweet Sue until I saw him, then Sour Sue takes over.  I love to laugh.  A sense of humor has helped me through this grieving process. 

In a recent study at Stanford, researchers showed comics to people while their brains were monitored by an MRI. They were able to prove for the first time that humor stimulates the parts of our brain that use the "feel good" chemical messenger dopamine. That puts laughter in the category of activities you want to do over and over again.

Face Time: When we laugh, as many as 15 small muscles squeeze our faces into a smile. Increased blood flow there may turn us a bit pinker and give us a happy glow.

Eyes Have It: If the laugh is vigorous enough, our tear ducts can activate. Our glee can have a cumulative effect till we're literally crying with joy-and studies show that tears, whether happy or sad, may reduce symptoms of stress.

Mouth Off: Researchers have tested the saliva of patients after laughing episodes and found that they have higher levels of disease-fighting agents called immuno-globulins. Other studies have found higher blood levels of killer T-cells, suggesting that laughter may raise our immune function.

Vocal Point: Our vocal equipment gets a workout to produce our high-pitched laughter. The diaphragm, a strong muscle under the lungs, pumps down and up, filling the lungs, and then blasting air out of them, up through the voice box to produce the laugh. Because the lungs are exchanging much more air than normal, they enrich the blood with oxygen.

Laughter seems to help diabetics keep their glucose levels in check.

Laughter seems to have an analgesic effect: It increases our tolerance for pain.

Belly Laughs: A hearty laugh can cause us to double and tense all our major muscle groups for minutes at a time, leading to a simple conclusion: Laughter is exercise.  I guess you could say, "Laughter is inner jogging." The heart rate and blood pressure go up while you're laughing, but then they fall down below your baseline afterward, the same as with exercise. This could be very important exercise for elderly and sick people who can't get out and run two miles.

It seems researchers simply confirm what the Lord has already told us.  “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine.”

Laugh with a friend today.  It is good for you.

Here is a recipe for SWEET & SOUR CHICKEN!

SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN
1 c. water
 1/2 tsp. Accent
1/2 c. milk 
dash of pepper
1 egg
2 lb. chicken breast, boneless, skinless
2 T. salt
 all-purpose flour

Mix water, milk,egg, salt, Accent, and pepper. Cut pieces of chicken in small chunks and roll in flour. 

Dip in liquid mixture, then again in flour. Fry in hot oil until crispy and browned. Keep warm. Mix into sweet and sour sauce. Serve with rice.

Sweet and Sour Sauce
1-2 green peppers, cut in strips 
3/4 c. ketchup
1/2 c. red wine vinegar
1 (20-oz.) can pineapple chunks, drained
3-4 carrots, cut in small sticks 
1-2 green peppers, cut in strips 
1 med. onion,cut in chunks 
1/3 c. sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 c. chicken broth
1/2 c. honey
1-2 tsp. soy sauce 
3 T. cornstarch in 1/2 cup water
3 T. oil
Stir fry green pepper, carrots, and onion, in small amount oil with garlic and soy sauce for 2-3 minutes. Veges should be tender-crisp. Remove from pan. Place 3 T. oil,ketchup, vinegar, chicken broth, sugar and honey in pan. 

Add cornstarch dissolved in cold water. Heat to boiling and cook until thickened. If it appears too pale, add a drop or 2 of red food color. Toss in pineapple, veges, and fried chicken. Add a little more soy sauce, if needed.
Note: Sauce and stir fried veges can be done in advance, but chicken will get soggy. Another option is to serve chicken and pass the sauce separately.

Confectionately  Yours,

Sue

Getting It All Together

I made a list of 6 things that were burdening me & determined that THIS was the week they were going to be done.  I was focused!!

Do you find that you spend more time dreading tasks than it takes to actually accomplish them??  I sure do!!  Those things on my must do list weigh heavily on me. When finally accomplished, I feel so relieved!!

But none so much as a recent incident that I confess I did NOT respond to with grace & dignity. 

You see, my college attending son turned 21 & his military dependent ID needed updating to continue our benefits.  My retired military husband was in charge of these tasks & his demise put them squarely in my lap.  Dealing with the military system is surely NOT in my comfort zone.

However, one must do what one must do!!  Andrew obtained a letter from the college stating he is a full time student.  I had done my homework calling in advance to see what the military folks required to facilitate his getting a new ID.

He also needed new glasses, so I combined an eye check appointment with the ID renewal.  Also on my to-do list that day was gathering some party supplies for a friend & the finishing touches on a cheesecake for her son Gregory.  We would be celebrating his 18^th birthday that same evening at a cook out.

After the eye check, Andrew & I headed out to the AFB.  As we got out of the car, I realized I had left his birth certificate in the book I was reading….the book I left on the counter at the eye doctors.

Back at the store, his glasses were ready, & we headed back to the base.  We were in the parking lot when I realized I had left home without the letter from the college. I was NOT a happy girl!

It was impossible to complete the task without that letter, so we headed home.  I sent Andrew on to our friend’s home with the party supplies, then we met & headed to the base for a third time.

I just had to laugh when I handed over the paperwork to the airman assisting it.  As I listed each required item I was handing her, she stated, “Wow, you really have it all together.”  If she only knew!! 

That frustrating day ended with a great time celebrating Gregory’s 18^th birthday.  I’m sharing the cheesecake recipe we all enjoyed that night.  Gregory likes his plain, but you can top it with fresh sweetened strawberries & whipped cream on the side if you wish.

CHEESECAKE
Graham cracker crust
1-3/4 c. graham cracker crumbs 
1 T. brown sugar
6 T. butter, melted
1 tsp. cinnamon

Melt butter and mix graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Press into a
9" springform pan.

Cheesecake filling
3 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened to room temp
1 c. sour cream
4 eggs
1 c. sugar 
3 tsp. vanilla
1 T. cornstarch 

Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar and beat, scrape down sides and beat
again. Beat in sour cream, and cornstarch.

Add eggs, one at a time, until incorporated,
then vanilla. Pour into crust. Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 1 hour or until center
is set. 

Remove from oven and cool on rack until lukewarm. Chill for several hours or
freeze for easy removal from pan to a serving plate.

If frozen, run a sharp slender knife between the crust and bottom of pan, loosening the entire cake. Support cheesecake with a spatula and slide it onto a serving plate. If the cake is not frozen, it's best to leave it on the bottom of the springform pan and place it on the serving
platter.  Yield: 12 servings from 9" pan, 8-9 cakes from the mini cheesecake pans 4-5" in diameter. 
Cupcake size in foil liners may also made, but the oven temp should be 275-300° for 12 to 15 minutes. The higher temp will cause them to rise quickly, then the centers will fall. 

Extra crust ingredients my be required to make the 25 cupcake size desserts yielded from this
recipe.
Note: Don't be intimidated by cheesecakes. They are easy to make and can be frozen
2-3 months. You do need to have a springform pan. It's a small expense for a big
reward!! I have several of the mini pans, bake and freeze 2-3 varieties of cheesecake,
then wow my guests with an assortment of bite size delectables.