Keys to the Kingdom

Recently the Lord answered a fervent prayer with a ‘yes.’  The result was a sense of well- being that I still carry with me every time I look at my extra set of keys.  Yes, you heard it right. Keys!!!

You see, since my husband’s death, I have been carrying 2 sets of keys with me at all times.  It’s one of those quirky things widows do as a coping mechanism.  In the past, if I locked my keys in the car, I simply called my husband, and he bailed me out of trouble.  It’s not like it has happened often in my life, but knowing he was my go-to guy and protector was a secure thing for me.

My keys had been missing for 5 days.  I knew the last time I had them, but simply could not remember where I mislaid them.  I prayed, I made phone calls to places where I had been, and searched my pockets, purse and work bag numerous times to no avail.

I still had one set, so life continued on, BUT that sense of anxiety came back every time I saw my single set of keys. Prayers continued.  I talk to the Lord throughout the day.  I knew He knew where my keys were.  HE knows everything!!

Honestly, it was literally minutes after that last prayer when I walked into my workplace and saw my keys sitting on a counter.  I just felt relief flood my being that the Creator of this world cared enough for this absent-minded speck of dust, the HE would lead me to those keys.  He cares for the very minute details of our lives.

I was reminded of the verse, “I sought the Lord and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.”

I baked cookies for my co-workers that day.  Here is the recipe...

GERMAN CHOCOLATE
THUMBPRINT COOKIES


Topping
1 c. sugar 
3 egg yolks, beaten
1 c. evaporated milk 
1-1/2 c. coconut
1/2 c. margarine 
1-1/2 c. chopped pecans
1 tsp. vanilla
In a heavy 2 quart saucepan, combine milk, margarine, vanilla, and egg yolks; blend well. 
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly for 10 minutes or until thick and bubbly. Remove from heat and stir in pecans and coconut.
Reserve 1 & 1/2 cups topping and set aside for adding to the cookie batter.


Cookies
1 pkg. German chocolate cake mix 
1-1/2 c. topping 
1/3 c. margarine
In a large bowl, combine cake mix, margarine, and the reserved topping. 
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes for easier handling. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


Shape dough into 1 inch balls; place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. 
Make indentation in center of ball; fill indentation with 1/2 tsp. of topping. 
Bake @ 350° for 10 minutes or until set. Cookies will spread a bit. Cool 5 minutes; remove from cookie sheet. Yield: 4 dozen cookies.
Note: This is like a mini German chocolate cake. Feel free to use the topping as the frosting for German chocolate cake, because that is exactly what it is.

Confectionately  Yours,

Sue

Grandkids...& Pizza Crust

Proverbs 17:6 Grandchildren are a crown of the aged.

My friend Hank told me his 9 year old grandson was having a pizza party for his birthday.  Hank asked John Curtis what kind of pizza he was having at this celebration.  The child replied, “Pepperoni for the kids and…. vegetable pizza for the old people.”

I use my trusty bread machine for a pizza crust that’s ready in about 80 minutes start to finish.  You don’t have to have a bread machine.  It can also be done by hand. 

Set your machine on the dough cycle.  This will mix, knead, and allow your dough to rise. Layer in this order for the bread machine:

I cup warm water
2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 c. all purpose flour
2 T. sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. instant yeast

Toss in a T. of parmesan, a sprinkle of Italian seasoning, or some garlic opposite the place where you put the yeast if you wish. These ingredients can inhibit the yeast.

When the machine finishes its cycle, grease a 9x13 pan with olive oil and spread the pizza crust to the edges. 

Top with pizza sauce, pepperoni for the kids or vegetables for the old people and some mozzarella, of course.  :-)

Bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 min. until the crust is golden brown. 

Confectionately  Yours,

Sue

"Judi Bread"

I met Judi Tittle at the WEEC Share in  March. We were both volunteering in various capacities. I noticed several mini loaves of a cinnamon-sugar bread in the kitchen. Turned out, they were gifts for the volunteers working the event, made by Judi.

I discovered later when visiting with her in the kitchen as we worked, that she got her first batch of starter from a friend at church. The friend had been giving them to everyone. It had even gotten to the point where she would leave them on the doorstep, ring the bell, and run for the car!! LOL Not everyone was glad to see that starter!!!

But Judi's starter was like that parable Jesus talked about where the seeds fell on good ground. A ministry opportunity took root the day Judi got hers. She has perfected the recipe to make the bread over the years, trying out several different ones, then sticking to the one she liked best.

I was one of the fortunate to get a BIG loaf to take home. I shared it...but I admit, I savored a bigger portion, and enjoyed it immensely over several days.

Judi tells me that she has sent starter to several states even!! Another fun story is one in which a little 3 year old girl tasted the delicious loaf and nicknamed it "Judi Bread." I love that!!

I will never think of it again as Amish Friendship Bread...Judi Bread has a warmer homier feel to it.

Amish Friendship Bread (Judi Bread)
The Initial Starter
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
Combine the ingredients in a large, deep glass or plastic container. Cover lightly. If the container has a lid, leave it slightly ajar.

Stir every day for 17 days, using a plastic or wooden spoon.
On day 18, do nothing.
On day 19, 20, 21, stir.
On day 22, stir and add 1 cup milk, 1 cup flour, and 1 cup milk. Stir again.
On days 23, 24, 25, and 26, stir.
On day 27, add 1 cup flour, 1 cup milk, and 1 cup sugar. Stir, you should have about 4 cups of starter.

Give one cup to 2 friends, and keep the 2 remaining. Use one to make the bread, and use the other to keep the starter going.

Feeding the Starter
On the day you receive your starter, do nothing
Day 2-3-4-5: Stir with a wooden spoon once each of these days.
Day 6: Add one cup of flour, 1 cup sugar, and 1 cup of milk. Stir well.
Day 7-8-9: Stir with a wooden spoon once each day.
Day 10: Add 1 cup flour, 1 cup, sugar, 1 cup milk. Stir and pour into separate containers (1 cup per contaner) Keep one for yourself, and give 2 away. Make the bread with the remaining one.

(finally!! :-) Making the bread

To your starter add:
1 cup oil
1/2 cup milk
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Mix well.

In a separate bowl combine:
2 c. flour
1 cup sugar
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 heaping tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup nuts (opt.)
1 large box of instant vanilla pudding

Add dry ingredients to wet mixture. Stir well. 

Mix together 1/2 c. sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon. Grease loaf pans and coat them with a portion of the cinnamon sugar. Fill the loaves 2/3 full. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top.

Bake at 325 for 1 hour or until the loaves test done. Check large loaves at the 45 minute point. Mini loaves will bake in about 20-25 mins. (Inserting a tooth pick into the loaf with it coming out clean indicates doneness.)

Cool 10 minutes in the pan before turning out to cool completely

Recipe yields: 2 large loaves

Christiana & The Artist

I’m not generally envious of others, but I found myself feeling so the morning my Pastor related a story about my friend Christiana.  You see, she thought up a positively brilliant way to encourage Preacher & his family.  He shared it with us that Sunday morning.

One of the greatest joys in Preacher’s life are his grandchildren.  His grandson Bo has Down’s Syndrome & is an extra special blessing to them. 

When I first met Bo, he was 6 months old with many health problems.  His condition was a shock to the family initially, but every accomplishment these past 18 years has been celebrated as blessing from the Lord.

Bo loves to sing & draw.  One day a letter arrived at his home with a check inside.  My friend Christiana had commissioned Bo for some artwork.  Her letter to him requested a drawing of his choice, stating that she wanted it before He became famous & she wouldn’t be able to afford his work.  Christiana has a quirky sense of humor I just love!!

Bo was so excited about this.  He spent days working on the piece.  His mom, Tina, told me that even now, Bo will refer to his commissioned work stating, “I can’t believe someone would pay me for my art.”

Christiana saw Bo’s giftedness & valued it.  She affirmed him, & in turn, blessed his parents & grandparents, too. She has inspired me to look for creative ways to encourage.

We are told in scripture to bless others, ESPECIALLY in the household of faith.

I have asked Christiana to share one of her favorite recipes with me.  

This is the promised recipe from my friend Christiana, in her own words.   :-)  She is an avid gardener, and is one of the few women I know that hunts & fishes with enthusiasm.   I love how we can find common ground as believers in Christ, but how we are as different as night & day-enjoying & celebrating those differences in each other. Christiana........ Okay, this is one of my 'camping' fish recipes. I swallowed a fish bone last year, so I only use skinned/filleted fish now. Vegetable oil (expect to spend $3-$5 for a small bottle at a typical bait-shop store) 1-3 fresh fish fillets, cut into 1 inch strips Flour (1-2 cups or about 4 handsful) 1 lemon (best to pack a sack of lemons to take) 1 egg, beaten Salt/Pepper Paper plates Paper towels Frying pan Tongs Stove (or electric hot plate) Line up four paper plates in a row. Place fish on 1st plate, flour on 2nd plate, beaten eggs on 3rd plate, and more flour on 4th plate. Cut lemon into good sized wedges and squeeze juice over both sides of fish. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. Dredge fish in flour on 2nd plate, roll fish in beaten egg on 3rd plate, and carefully place fish on flour in 4th plate. Sprinkle flour over both sides of fish, carefully so you don't rub off all the good stuff. Repeat steps until all the fish is coated. I usually just leave the fish on the 4th plate until it's all ready to fry. Wipe hands on paper towel (trust me, you can't skip this step). Heat frying pan and about 1/4 to 1/2 inch of oil until it's hot. Add prepared fish and fry, turning once, until browned on each side (usually a few minutes per side). When done, put fish on a paper towel-lined plate or two. Enjoy! Confectionately  Yours, Sue

Removing Silly Putty

Hi, this is Sue Murphy, and I have a Circle of Friends household hint for you.

Have you ever had a good intention backfire on you?  I recently removed the cushions on my less-than-a-year-old sofa to discover a wad of something I couldn’t readily identify.  It would not come off.  I couldn’t imagine what it was. 

I racked my brain!! It suddenly dawned on me that the silly putty I had given a child in a Christmas stocking was now cemented to my sofa and a cushion, too!!  My first thought was that old grim saying, “No good deed goes unpunished.”  Isn’t that a lie Satan wants us to believe to keep us from doing good things?

Our first Christmas without my husband was a miserable experience.  My kids and I tried to have our normal holiday, but the traditions of the past hurt too much without Greg.

 

The next year we decided to find a family to minister to.  We had a ball finding just the right toys and games for each child.  It was a help to them, and joyful for me and my children.  However, I digress.  There was a gob of silly putty attached to my sofa to contend with!!

I gently scraped as much of it as I could, then applied a coating of WD-40.  It softened the putty, and using the edge of a dull knife, I was able to scrape the once hardened goo off the fabric.  It took some patience, and more than one application of WD-40, but I kept at it.  Once the putty was gone, I cleaned the area with rubbing alcohol to remove the residue of the WD-40, then cleaned it with a grease removing dish-washing soap, and rinsed with a damp cloth.

My sofa was good as new!!

This whole episode reminded me that just like that silly putty, sin is pleasurable for a season.  When the fun is gone though, it leaves a hardened shell around our hearts that is impossible to remove on our own…just like that Silly Putty.  But when God’s WD-40, the Holy Spirit, is applied to that hardened heart, it softens, sin is confessed, forgiven, and behold we are new again.

I am so grateful for God’s unfailing love and patience with this sometimes wayward child of His.

I am Sue Murphy,Silly Putty free, and..... 

Confectionately  Yours

Recipes Can Be a Legacy

Childhood Chocolate Cake Recipe

As a kid, my family moved across the road from an older couple.   Miss Doris and Mr. Lewis became our favorite neighbors.  They loved to sit on their porch and watch us kids laugh and play outside.  I have several brothers and sisters, so I am sure our antics were more entertaining than TV at times.

Miss Doris was a good ole country cook.  She used no fancy ingredients, just pantry staples, and made a chocolate cake I still dream about today.  I can’t tell you how many times I sat in her tiny kitchen watching her mix up cocoa, sugar, flour, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla for a chocolate cake she baked in 2 black iron skillets. 

While the cakes were cooling, she proceeded to take sugar, cocoa, evaporated milk, and butter, boiling it on the stove until it reached a soft ball stage.  On a candy thermometer, that’s 234 degrees. But Miss Doris knew by sight when the wonderful boiled icing was nearing ready.  She drop a spoonful into a cup of cold water and dip out the soft ball of fudgy goodness which she would give to me and my little sister to share.

She would remove the icing from the heat and let it sit a few minutes as she placed the first layer on a plate. Then she would beat that frosting by hand until it thickened a bit and pour just enough on the first layer to cover the top.  The second layer was placed and the process repeated, but this time she would smooth the frosting she poured on top to the edges and around the side. 

The frosting was liquid fudge, and as it is spread, it would cool and cling to the side of the cake.  She would keep adding warm gooey frosting until that cake was completely covered.  She might also notice that sometimes the frosting would ease down the cake a bit and puddle on the plate, but with some patience and coaxing, she would spread it back onto the side of the cake until it hardened.

Now, the finished product probably wouldn’t win a beauty contest, but that kitchen smelled like chocolate heaven.  The cake was moist and chocolate-y, and the fudge frosting shiny with a slight grainy crust.  I never think of her that I don’t remember her generosity toward my family.  She used what she had to be a blessing to others. That is a wonderful legacy.

CHILDHOOD CHOCOLATE  BUTTERMILK CAKE

2 c. all purpose flour
1/2 c. buttermilk
2 c. sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
14 c. unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp. baking powder
1 c. water
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. unsalted butter

Mix water, butter, and cocoa in a saucepan and heat until butter is melted. Combine
flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in mixing bowl.

Add eggs and buttermilk, then the hot cocoa mixture. Combine with mixer until well incorporated.

Grease and flour two 8 or 9" cake pans and preheat oven to 350°. Pour batter into
prepared pans and bake for 25-30 minutes or until they test done. Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes before removing to a rack to cool completely.

Icing should not be made until cake is cooled. Lay first layer on plate with strips of wax paper under it before starting to make the frosting. This will keep the plate edge neat.

Cooked Chocolate Icing
1-1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter
3/4 c. evaporated milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 c. cocoa powder

Melt butter in a small saucepan. Add sugar, cocoa, and evaporated milk. Stirring constantly over medium high heat, cook mixture.
When it reaches a rolling boil, cook for 3-5 minutes until it reaches 234° on a candy thermometer or a spoonful of mixture dropped into a cup of cold water forms a "soft ball."

Remove from heat, add vanilla and beat for 1-2 minutes. Pour enough on the first layer to just cover it, then place the second layer on top. Pour the rest of the icing mixture on top and smooth icing quickly over the sides.
It should set up rather quickly, so work fast. Icing should form a slight grainy "crust," but remain soft underneath. Remove wax paper strips. Store covered at room temp.

Note: Test your candy thermometer by placing in a pot of boiling water for a few minutes.  Don't let the tip touch the bottom of the pan.  Water boils at 212 degrees, so whatever the thermometer registers in the boiling water IS 212 degrees.  SO, if it registers say, 210, simply adjust your cooking time by 2 degrees lower than 234.  (I hope that is not "clear as mud."  :-)

Confectionately  Yours,

Sue

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 70 + 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.

 

Cook Once, Eat Twice

I ascribe to the motto-Cook once, eat twice.  Sometimes, I can even get 3 or 4 meal ideas out of one cooking session.  Today I’d love to share my roast chicken recipe with you.  It is the start for chicken tacos, chicken casseroles, soups, or salads.

I start with a whole chicken, actually TWO whole chickens.  If you have the time to bake one, beIieve me  you have time to bake 2!!--One to eat now and the other heads to the freezer for another day.

I line my roasting pan with foil.  I then wash the outside plastic wrap of the chicken.  I know this sounds strange, but food experts can’t seems to agree whether the actual chicken should be rinsed or not due to the potential for contamination and splattering of chicken juice around the kitchen. 

Washing the packaging, then using scissors to cut the plastic and slide it off the chicken while it sits in the foil lined pan allows all the juices to end up in the roaster pan.  Splattering is minimal.  I pitch the package and lay my chickens- breast side down and side by side.  I season liberally with salt, pepper, and lemon pepper or garlic powder. 

I believe I have mentioned chicken soup base in the past as a seasoning ingredient and making broth.  I add a tsp or 2 to a cup of water and pour that into the bottom of the roasting pan. I cover the pan with a piece of foil tented over the chickens.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and place the chicken in the oven.  Turn over one hour into the cooking time and season this side of the chicken breast side up.

Two to 2 1/2 hours later for a 4-5 lb bird and an internal temp of 180 degrees, you will remove the nicely browned roasted chicken from the oven.  I serve it with roasted potatoes and green beans the first night.

Remove the rest of the chicken meat from the bone.  If you have time, do the same to the second chicken.  Freeze the meat in amounts appropriate for your family.

 I place the chicken bones, the juices in the pan, and the skin into a pot and cover with water. Add an onion, 2-3 stalks celery-leaves and all, and a couple of roughly chopped carrots.   Season with pepper and a Tbsp or 2 of chicken soup base.  Simmer for an hour or so. Allow to cool & remove all the solids from the broth.  Refrigerate and the fat will solidify and can be easily removed.

You can even do this in a crockpot and just let it simmer all day.  Freeze for up to 3 months or use as a base for chicken soup, chicken pot pie or Fettucini Alfredo.  You can search out this blog for those recipes.

Confectionately  Yours,

Sue

Using What You Have

I had been “under the weather” for several days.  Not enough to completely incapacitate me, mind you, but enough that I did not leave the house, needed frequent rest periods, and felt listless & accomplished little.

Add to this the growing demands of the month ahead, I knew if I didn’t recuperate soon, this old girl was going to be in hot water for sure.

My daughter was headed this way from college for a visit.  I really like to cook for her when she is home.  After years of home cooked meals, she is now the one who has to make do each day.  I think she appreciates her mother more now than then.

She often calls me for cooking advice, and has had more than a few successes AND disasters in the kitchen.  I’m proud of her trial & error mentality.  I’ve learned as much from my goof-ups as I have my successes.

Since I keep a pantry full of shelf stable items on hand for my recipes, I didn’t have to run to the store for dinner.  As soon as one of these pantry items is used, I replace it with the next grocery shop.  I also rotate the cans pulling the ones closer to the front that will expire sooner.

Emily loves soup and we are in those chilly days when this dish is welcome.  Some pre-cooked bacon from the freezer & fresh potatoes & onions were the foundation for my soup.  I then looked to my pantry for canned veges & evaporated milk to make a delicious corn chowder.  It was sooo good.

I guess the spiritual lesson in all this is making the most of what the Lord gives you, using your gifts & abilities to minister to one another, and being grateful for what you have.

I’m Sue Murphy gratefully & Confectionately  Yours!

CORN CHOWDER


5 slices bacon, fried crisp and crumbled 
1 (16-oz.) can creamed corn
1 med. onion, chopped
 1 (12-oz.) can evaporated milk
3 c. potatoes, diced
1/2 c. fresh milk
2 c. water 
dried parsley
1 chicken bouillon cube or equivalent (I use chicken soup base)
instant potato flakes, optional


Cook bacon until crisp. Set aside and saute onions in bacon drippings until soft. Add potatoes, water, and soup base mix. 


Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 12-15 minutes until potatoes are tender. Add corn and milk; heat thoroughly. 


If you want a thicker soup, add instant potato flakes, a tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached. Add parsley and garnish with bacon.


Note: I cannot stress enough how much I rely on soup base to flavor soups, gravies and sauces. The concentration can be adjusted to achieve the "rich broth" I refer to in many of my recipes.


Precooked bacon works well for this recipe.  I keep it in the freezer, microwave it 30 seconds or so to re-crisp &  continue with the recipe.


Every so often, I DO buy uncooked bacon.  I lay in a single layer on a cookie sheet and BAKE it at 350 degrees until crisp. I save the drippings & refrigerate them in a jar for later use to flavor soups, green beans, & good ol' soup beans.

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.

Daddy's MACARONI AND CHEESE


8 oz. elbow macaroni 
8 oz. Velveeta (pasteurized process Cheese spread) 
1/4 c. butter 
1/2 c. flour 
salt and pepper, to taste 
1 (12-oz.) can evaporated milk 2-4 oz. sharp cheddar, grated 
1-1/2 c. milk 


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. 8oz=6-1/2 c. cooked. 


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 ½ 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

Be Diligent

2 Peter 3:14

Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be DILIGENT that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

My friend Heather is often described as diligent.  Anything placed in her care gets attention to detail.  Her organizational skills leave me in awe, but she is so humble she fails to see just how gifted she is.

She is able to look at others using their giftedness, and appreciate their talents, but does not see her particular abilities as equally valuable.

One Thanksgiving, she organized a meal for over 550 people at our church. Everything from planning the meal, purchasing the groceries, and placement of tables in our gym was on her radar screen.  It wasn’t a random seating either.  Families were seated together so as folks invited their relatives to our church, seating numbers changed, and rearranging seemed to be a constant.

I tell you, I love to cook and plan events, but the thought of this one gave me a big headache.  I’ve shared with you on a previous segment how I was the Mashed Potato Queen at this event.  I made one thing in major quantity.

I know another diligent young woman.  Her name is Emily and literally means ‘Industrious’.  This is a synonym for diligence.  When I named her almost 23 years ago, I didn’t realize at the time that this was prophetic in nature.  She was born 2 days before Thanksgiving and the sad hospital turkey and dressing tasted pretty good to this new mom.

My daughter is away at college, and has an RA or Resident Assistant position this year for the first time.  This job requires room inspections, planning dorm events, working the reception desk, and dealing with the issues of a building full of people who get on each other’s nerves.

She spent much of her summer in preparation for this job which pays a small salary and provides free housing to the college students brave enough to tackle the challenge. I am proud of her!! 

She told me a 

fellow RA was in her room and she offered homemade pizza and something to drink.  Her friend commented on her hospitality and asked if she was Southern.

I guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

Emily’s favorite meal lately is anything she doesn’t have to cook herself so I will post an Apple Cranberry Bread that just suits this fall season. 

                                         Confectionately  Yours,

Sue

Note-Emily has since graduated from college & is now DILIGENT in the workforce. 

APPLE CRANBERRY BREAD

2 eggs                            
1/2 tsp. salt

1-1/4 c. sugar                
1/2 tsp. baking soda

2 T. vegetable oil          
1/4 c. pineapple juice

1-1/2 c. all purpose flour
2 c. tart apples, peeled & chopped

1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 c. fresh or frozen cranberries                
1 tsp. ground cinnamon    
1/2 c. walnuts

In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs,sugar, and oil. Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda. Add to egg mixture until just combined. 

Add pineapple juice and stir in the apples, cranberries and nuts. 

Spray an 8 in. x 4 in. loaf

pan coated with non-stick cooking spray. Bake at 350° oven for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. 

Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Yield: 1 loaf.

Note: This loaf freezes well and can also be baked in smaller individual loaf pans.

Decrease the baking time to 25-30 minutes, but test for doneness before time allowed and adjust baking time as needed. Wrap well in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag

for up to 2 months. Be sure to label and date your baked goods.