Breakfast Burrito

My son Andrew has taught me a few lessons over the years.   He is not interested in cooking, but he is interested in eating on a regular basis.  I have watched him throw almost any kind of meat and cheese together in a tortilla, nuke it for a minute in the microwave, and dunk this quesadilla into Ranch dressing or Hot wing sauce and make a meal of it.

If he adds some fruit and veges to the mix, it makes for a fairly well balanced meal.  It gave me an idea this week to make a breakfast burrito using what I had leftover from Sunday dinner. 

I had roasted a chicken, baked some potatoes, and made a chef salad.  There were ham chunks left over from the salad, a quarter of an onion, eggs, grated cheese, and those baked potatoes in the fridge.

  I heated an iron skillet with some vegetable oil and cut up a potato in small pieces.  I even left the skin on.  I chopped up the onion in small pieces and tossed it into the skillet with the potatoes and ham chunks.  I did add a little butter to the mix, too.  It adds great flavor.

As the potatoes browned, I beat together a couple of eggs.  I added the eggs to the skillet, turned the heat way down and allowed them to cook through.  I added some cheese, then seasoned to taste with salt and pepper.  Cheese can be very salty, so I wait to season until I’ve tasted the dish.

A flour tortilla heated briefly for 30-40 seconds in the microwave and a generous spoonful of the skillet mixture, and some salsa from the pantry made for a quick and filling breakfast.  I enjoyed it with a cup of coffee while listening to Circle of Friends on WEEC.

What a great way to start the day!! 

Confectionately  Yours,

Sue

A Cord Not easily Broken

A $10 label maker has become my best friend in this process of organizing my life a little better. I highly recommend them.  I actually bought 2-one for upstairs and one for downstairs.  Organization is an ongoing process & I needed tools at hand and easily accessible if I was to make headway.

There was a particular incident that precipitated this ongoing to desire to get organized.

About 4 weeks after the death of my husband, I began the daunting task of going through his things.  I was so overwhelmed with all that had to be done, but I had to start SOMEWHERE.

I got 3 large snap top plastic boxes and labeled them “Keep” “Donate” and “Toss.”  The “Keep” pile I would divide and conquer another day.  However, I began finding black cords to electronic gizmos.  There were electronic devices, too, but I had no idea what went with what.  Many of the cords were a tangled MESS.

I started a new box & all cords and electronics  went into it.  One night while watching a movie, I tackled THAT box.   Each individual cord was painstakingly untangled and placed in a plastic bag.  I do not exaggerate when I say there were over 60 cords!!

 

As I worked on that project, I was reminded of Ecc 4:12 that speaks of a three fold cord not easily broken.

There were friends in my life that stood in the gap for me during this time of crisis were like this three-fold cord. Their simple presence showed me cared & I was not alone. They hugged, they listened, they prayed for me.  There is strength in numbers. :-)

When life is disorganized and chaotic, if you feel alone in your hurt today, turn to that Three-fold cord that cannot be broken-the Father, the Son, & the Holy Spirit.   I am confident of comfort, provision, and a peace that passes understanding.  God’s Word promises!! & our God always delivers.

Confectionately  Yours,

Sue

Eccl 4:9 Two [are] better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.

¹⁰ For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him [that is] alone when he falleth; for [he hath] not another to help him up.

¹¹ Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm [alone]?

¹² And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

The Prayer Closet

When word of my husband’s death reached my friend Vicki, she came.  She hadn’t seen me in quite some time.  Our lives had diverged into different directions.  I was surprised & touched to see her that day.

Since my move from Indiana to Ohio, Vicki has come to me for rest & respite from time to time.  I’ve noticed a pattern in her trips.  She managed to come on or near the anniversary date of Greg’s home-going.  I asked her if this was intentional…& she gave me a knowing smile. She was widowed with 4 small children years ago & knows the pain of those anniversary dates.

However, her visits WERE for her personal rest also.  Vicki has a life that revolves around caring for others.  A wheelchair bound husband she adores, kids & grandkids living in her home, church involvement, plus a full-time job leave her with little time for self-care. 

On one of our visits, she seemed near exhaustion, both physically & spiritually.  She 

commented on the absolute quiet we were enjoying.  This was not an option for her at home.  She told me that sometimes she sits in her car after work just so she can pray & read the bible without interruption.

Due to her husband needs, their master bedroom door had to be removed for his w/c access & replaced with a curtain.  Given this situation, she had no place to go to shut out the distractions & noise of those living within her household.  Apparently, beloved grandbabies do not understand Grandma needs a break. J

The bible tells us  in Matt 6:6  ⁶ But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

As Vicki & I talked, the idea of using her sizable Master bedroom closet as a literal prayer closet began to emerge. Of course, it was packed with the STUFF we all seem to collect, & rarely find the time to go through, BUT her desperate need for peace & quiet outweighed the desire to hang onto things.

Sometime later, Vicki has reported major de-cluttering, & a place to shut the door for refreshment.  The Lord has provided!!

My own prayer closet is a small sunroom that I have claimed for my own.  The Lord is sought after every day in that little room. I feast there on the Bread of Life & receive Living Water.

I encourage you to find your own prayer closet.  This is truly the “Recipe for living.”

                                         Confectionately  Yours,

Sue

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

How We Look to Others

I was at a potluck dinner and amidst the fried chicken, hot dishes, cold salads, and desserts was a small dish of something grayish, sort of gravy-like, and completely unidentifiable.  At the end of the evening as I was helping clean up, there amongst the empty platters was that lone little bowl completely untouched. 

It was probably was just as nutritiousl as anything else on the table, but no one wanted to test it out when there were so many other choices.  For all I know, I may have missed out on the best dish there because of its appearance.

As I reflected on this, I wondered.....in the “potluck of life” as I meet the people God brings my way, does my faith and profession in Jesus look appealing to others?  Do I proclaim a life in Christ that looks like fried chicken to a starving soul….or have I allowed bitterness, anxieties, circumstances to steal my joy, so that to those I am called to share the Bread of Life with, look at me and see something grayish and unappealing-like the dish I just mentioned?

I want the joy of Christ to reflect through me.  I want to rise above my circumstances, rest in Jesus for help and comfort, and share the glorious salvation message that Jesus saved me from an eternity in Hell for a new life here on earth for a time, and forever with him in Glory.

Here is a recipe that looks as good as it tastes-it is an easy Springtime Mandarin Orange Cake.  It starts with a box mix of yellow cake, but with a few additions, and a Cool Whip, crushed pineapple, and instant pudding frosting-you have a light pretty cake that won’t make it home from any potluck.

MANDARIN ORANGE CAKE

(A fresh light Spring cake)

1 pkg. yellow cake mix
1 (11-oz.) can mandarin oranges with juice

4 eggs
1/4 c. vegetable oil

Combine cake mix, oranges, eggs and oil. Beat 2 minutes at highest speed of mixer.  Reduce speed to low and beat one minute. Pour into 3 greased and floured round 8" cake pans. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until cake tests done. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove to cake rack and cool completely.

Frosting

1 (12-oz.) ctn. Cool Whip, thawed
1 (5-oz.) pkg. instant vanilla pudding

1 (20-oz.) c. crushed pineapple, drained reserving juice

Combine Cool Whip, pineapple, and pudding. Let stand for 5 minutes, then add enough pineapple juice to make frosting spreadable. Frost between layers, then top and sides of cake. Chill at least 2 hours before serving. Store in refrigerator.

Note: I love to serve this light, delicious cake in the Springtime. Garnish it with piped swirls of whipped cream, well drained mandarin oranges and fresh mint for a beautiful presentation.

                                         Confectionately  Yours,

Sue

Carrying Burdens, Laundry Baskets, & Homemade Laundry Soap

This might sound excessive, but I have 8 laundry baskets!!  Over time, I have realized the advantage of this.  On laundry day, I can separate out each load. 

When my kids were little, I had them do this.  They learn to help mommy, & it is a task even the toddler can accomplish when you tell them where each piece goes. Praise them for their progress, & you will see over time that you have trained them up to do their own laundry.

As each load is placed in the washer, the empty basket goes in front of the dryer & awaits its next job.  Those baskets have helped me organize closets holding the contents as I determine what goes where.  They help me as I decide what goes to the missions closet when it becomes evident that I have more than I really need.

They have held potluck dishes for transportation in my car preventing spills & keeping everything decently & in order.

One of the great things about my laundry baskets is that they match, fitting one inside the other, taking up minimal space when emptied.

Spiritually speaking, I find sometimes as prayer requests are shared, I’m a lot like those baskets.  I gather burdens, feeling overwhelmed for myself & others.  As I go in prayer to the One that washes whiter than snow, my load is lightened, & the stain of my personal sin is no more.  I stand clean before my Lord.

Here is a recipe for Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap.  It is easy to make & economical, too.  I love a bargain!!!

 The Recipe

Now that you have assembled all the needed ingredients here is the recipe:

Homemade Laundry Soap

1/3 bar Fels Naptha or other type of soap, as listed above

½ cup washing soda

½ cup borax powder 

~You will also need a small bucket, about 2 gallon size~

Grate the soap and put it in a sauce pan.  Add 6 cups water and heat it until the soap melts.  Add the washing soda and the borax and stir until it is dissolved.  Remove from heat.  Pour 4 cups hot water into the bucket.   Now add your soap mixture and stir.  Now add 1 gallon plus 6 cups of water and stir.  Let the soap sit for about 24 hours and it will gel.  You use ½ cup per load.

**A few things to note about the soap** 

~The finished soap will not be a solid gel.  It will be more of a watery gel that has been accurately described as an "egg noodle soup" look.

~The soap is a low-suds soap.  So if you don’t see suds, that is ok.  Suds are not what does the cleaning, it is the ingredients in the soap.

I'm Sue Murphy.....& I am.... 

Confectionately  Yours

The Mayonnaise Jar

The Mayonnaise Jar

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him.  He picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and start to fill it with golf balls.

 He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. 

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured it into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls.

 He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was. 

 

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else.  He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with an unanimous 'yes.' 

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

'Now,' said the professor, as the laughter subsided, 'I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.

 

The golf balls are the important things - God, family, health, friends, and favorite passions- things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

 

The pebbles are the things that matter like your job, house, and car. The sand is everything else -- The small stuff­‑'If you put the sand into the jar first,' he continued, 'there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important.

 So... Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your spouse out to dinner.

There will always be time to clean the house and fix the dripping tap.

 'Take care of the golf balls first --  The things that really matter. The rest is just sand.'

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented.

The professor smiled. 'I'm glad you asked'. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend. 

 

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day is not enough; remember the mayonnaise jar and 2 cups of coffee.

Here is a homemade mayonnaise recipe.  You might just need it if you mayo jar comes up empty someday. 

Homemade Mayo

Ingredients

• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
• 3/4 cup vegetable or olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Combine the egg, garlic, lemon juice and mustard in the container of a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth, then blend on low speed while pouring oil into the blender in a fine stream as the mixture emulsifies and thickens.

                                         Confectionately  Yours,

Sue

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.  

This recipe is one that I consider "heavenly."  Enjoy.....

CHOCOLATE DELIGHT

1 stick butter or margarine, melted
1/2 c. confectioners sugar
1 c. pecans
1 c. all purpose flour
3 pkgs. instant chocolate pudding (four-1/2 c. servings/box)
4-1/2 c. milk
24 oz. frozen whipped topping, thawed 
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°
degree 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.

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

Removing Ink Stains

I accidentally washed an ink pen in the pocket of my work clothes.  Thankfully, it was black & my clothes were, too.  No harm done it seemed. However, I didn’t discover my mistake until I opened the dryer & found inky streaks all along the inside that would not come off easily.

After trying several cleaning solutions on the ink, I had success with plain old rubbing alcohol & some elbow grease. 

You would think from this point on, I would be more careful, but I did the exact same thing a few days later!!  Boy, did I feel like a doofus!!

I was reminded that the Lord blots out those sins that stain our life when we confess them to Him.  He remembers them no more, but I need to sometimes remember the pain of my sins so I do not commit them over & over.

The rubbing alcohol removed all but a tiny bit of the ink on the inside of my dryer.  Every time I take out my laundry, I’m reminded to once again check my pockets before washing.  Thankfully, to date, I haven’t washed another pen.

Hopefully, you won’t need the household tip provided today, but we all need to be reminded that a daily renewing & refreshing is necessary if we are to be clean before our Lord.

Confectionately  Yours,

Sue

Today's Confectionately Yours Segment

Hi!!!  Today's segment was a repeat from April.  Scroll on down & you will find those bread machine rolls!!!  Happy Baking...

Confectionately Yours,


Sue

O Taste & See the Lord is Good

I have been thinking a lot lately about the senses-touch, hearing, sight, but especially, taste and smell

.

We are invited from David in the Psalms-“O taste and see, the Lord is good.”  We are told our prayers are “a sweet smelling savor unto the Lord.” 

Often before a delicious meal is consumed, it is our sense of smell that invites us to taste and enjoy.

Have you ever come home from a long day to have something you threw in the crockpot earlier in the day greet you as you stepped inside?

Isn’t it kind of amazing that those ingredients that barely had a fragrance when raw, slow cook and become something special?  The delicious smell is a promise of the good things to come. 

It is when my prayer-a sweet smell in the nostrils of God-releases His Spirit & floods my being with His Presence that I am overwhelmed and know that I have tasted, and found that, yes indeed, the Lord is good.

As a young Christian, my prayers were kind of a laundry list of wants and needs. They were like those raw ingredients in my crockpot.

 I hadn’t yet learned the art of slowing down, being still, listening rather than talking, enjoying God, praising Him, and simply reveling in Him as the great ‘I Am.’  I often pray that I see God’s intervention in my daily life. 

When I discover the tire that just looks a little low to me and I’m able to get it inflated-THEN I’m told by the mechanic that it was almost flat, I acknowledge with gratitude God’s observable presence in this situation.

Beth Moore, one of my favorite writers and speakers calls these interventions “God-stops.”  S-T-O-P Savoring The Observable Presence of God.

I encourage you today to Savor God’s Observable Presence in your life.  Taste and see, the Lord is good.

CROCKPOT ROAST BEEF
3-4 lb. roast beef, trimmed of excess fat
 3-4 large potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1 env. onion soup mix 
1 (10 3/4-oz.) can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
3-4 large carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
1/4 tsp. garlic powder (or more to taste)
 3-4 stalks celery, cut into bite size pieces
Place roast, soup mix, cream soup, and seasonings into crock pot. Add 1-1/2 cups
water. Cook on high for 3 hours, then add vegetables.

Continue to cook for another 3-4 hours until meat is tender and vegetables are done. If you won't be home all day, place all in crock pot with the vegetables on top and cook on low setting for 8 hours.
Serve with hot cornbread, butter, and sweet tea.

Note: I know this recipe seems simplistic, but most good recipes really are the result
of good seasoning and proper cooking times. I use the leftovers for the base of my
vegetable soup. Add a can of green beans, diced tomatoes, corn, pinto beans and/or
frozen lima beans(I like their texture better), and additional liquid with some beef
soup base and simmer for 30 minutes.

Full Of Beans

WE have a saying down South for a person full of energy, fun & mischief.  We say…they are “full of beans.”

This reminds me of my pastor, whom we affectionately refer to as simply, “Preacher.”  His energy seems boundless, & his sense of fun, never-ending. 

I had the opportunity to see him in action firsthand the year my entire family attended Junior camp when we returned to the Midwest. 

Preacher set up an elaborate scheme, pitting the Junior boy & Girl campers against one another.   The boys had flour bombs & the girls, water balloons hidden behind their backs.  Each group thought they were ambushing the other.

In actuality, Preacher, with the skill of a major general, positioned each group for attack, then sat back & watched the battle. 

It was hysterical to see the outcome!  Flour & water together make a gluey mess, & the kids realized too late they had been “had.” 

Over the years, my family has enjoyed many meals with him & his sweet wife, Kay, around the table sharing funny stories.  His recent birthday reminded me that even as a 60 + year old, Preacher is still “full of beans.”

It is encouraging to me to see a man of God still full of faith and enthusiasm for the Gospel after 40+ years of following his calling.  I am sharing today my recipe for what else?  Beans, of course.

I made a big pot of soup beans seasoned with onion, garlic, & a meaty ham bone.  This and some crusty cornbread baked in a black iron skillet, with some lemon sugar cookies will be my birthday gift to Preacher this year.  He literally will be “full of beans.”  

Ham & Beans

HAM AND BEAN SOUP

1 lb. dried beans (pinto or navy) 

1 c. chopped celery

A meaty ham bone or smoked ham hocks

 1 large onion, finely chopped

1 T. chicken soup base or to taste

1-2 c. ham, chopped

1 tsp. ham soup base or drippings leftover ham

1/2 tsp. black pepper

2 T. dried parsley

1/2 c. shredded carrot 

2 cloves garlic, minced

Wash and pick through beans discarding any blemished or shriveled ones. Place in a 

large bowl and cover beans with water, about 3 quarts. Allow to sit overnight.

For a 

quicker method, you may also place beans in pot, cover with water and  bring to a boil.  

Remove from heat and allow to sit for 2 hours.

Drain soaked beans and cover with 

fresh water, about 2 inches higher than level of beans. Add the ham bone, vegetables, 

and seasonings. Heat to boiling, then reduce heat and simmer until beans are tender, 

about 1-2 hours.

Taste the broth and adjust seasonings during cooking by adding 

additional soup base or garlic to taste. Add additional water, if needed. Soup should 

be salty enough due to the soup base and ham. Serve with hot corn bread.   

This soup 

may also be cooked for several hours in a crockpot and it also freezes well.

Note: I purposefully buy ham with a bone just for this dish. The little bits of meat left

over from a ham dinner also find their way into the soup pot along with the 

concentrated drippings in the bottom of the pan. This is what I consider real comfort 

food.