the kitchen gnomes

apple picking

2010-09-18T14:21:00.000-07:00

We went to pick apples today even though it's early in the season for apple picking. We went with our daughter and her new husband, using this opportunity to get to know a little better this man who has our little girls heart in his hand. He tells us that he has never actually gone out into an orchard to pick apples before, so this is a new experience for him. Having a married daughter is still new to us too and we are learning and growing in this relationship.

The day started out cool, but warming quickly we succumbed to using the car AC. The drive along the river road was calming, peaceful, quiet with the windows rolled up and no radio playing. It was nice. Our conversation is lazy like the slow moving flow of the Big Muddy that runs beside the road, getting essential news and letting the rest go, enjoying the ease of the morning.

At the orchard we join the other eager apple pickers, climbing with bags in hand, into the wagon being towed behind an old farm tractor. Cameras are poised and there are smiles around in anticipation of filling our bags with the freshest of fare; our choice of red delicious, golden delicious or johnny golds. The wagon lumbers slowly through the fields and orchards, rocking us back and forth almost encouraging us to let the stress of the past week go. We are all surprisingly quiet. It must be working.

After the farm hand recites his instructions we make our way through the rows of apple trees picking only the best, perfectly formed fruit. Its hard for me to see all of the fruit that has already fallen on the ground and I'm tempted to rescue some of the recent fallers that still look too good to let go to waste. (Our daughter admits she has the same struggle.) Instead force I myself to look up and move on, remembering that they are only apples and they don't need me to rescue them.

I look down one row and see my husband and son-in-law carefully choosing and inspecting before picking the apples that go into their bags. Seeing them side by side makes me happy we decided to do this today. It's another bonding experience and even though we often make jokes about "bonding", it is a serious and important thing.

I pick a small johnny gold, rub in on my leg to see if it will shine; it does and I take a bite. It is sweet and juicy and drips down my chin. I notice that several of the other "pickers" are doing the same thing. I think we all ate at least one apple while in the orchard. My husband and son-in-law both have half eaten apples in their hands too. It feels indulgent to be eating fruit right from the tree, like we're getting freebies.

Another tractor and wagon arrive and we wait patiently to switch places with the next group of apple pickers. Our bags are full, the sun is becoming more intense and we are eager to find some relief from the rising heat. I am thankful for the small breeze we get at the top of the hill as we slowly make our way back to the barn where we will pay for our harvest.

We find a place in the small river town to have a bit of lunch. It has been a lovely day, sweet, fresh and we are filled in more ways than one and I am thankful.

2008-09-17T15:05:00.000-07:00

Last week my husband and I had an opportunity to finally use a gift card that our kids gave us over a year ago. The gift was for one nights stay at Big Cedar Lodge. It's about a 4.5 hour drive from our house and we love road trips, so it was perfect.

Our room was lovely, two queen size beds with feather bed mattress, a whirlpool tub, and french door opening on to a balcony with a spectacular view. It was the first time I ever slept in a room that had a deer head hovering over me, or little stuffed creatures sitting on the TV cabinet, but after a while, we didn't even notice them.

From Big Cedar we drove a couple hours east to Dora, MO to see a friend who runs a trout fishing resort called River of Life Farm. We stayed there for two nights, enjoying the scenery and the solitude. My husband built the website for ROLF and is always updating and adding new things to keep it interesting, so while we were there he was able to get some video of a fly fishing class that was being taught by the trout fishing guide who works at ROLF. It was interesting to watch and the guys taking the class had a great attitude about my husband filming them.

All in all it was a lovely weekend and we so appreciated this wonderful gift. Many thanks to our kids for their generosity. And many thanks to our daughter for staying in the "big house" with the our dog. We are blessed!!!

Trusting

2008-09-05T10:41:00.000-07:00

My friend, who is a missionary in Cameroon, is here in the states for a short leave from her work and we just spent a couple of hours catching up while enjoying some coffee and fresh baked cinnamon scones. The time was rich in so many ways. Mostly we laughed as we shared about our lives and where God has taken each of us.
At one point she got a serious look on her face and asked me how I was doing, and she didn't mean how are my circumstances, because she knows they haven't changed. I really had to think, because how I feel is one subject I don't spend much time thinking about. I told her that I'm struggling to trust the Lord, that I my cup feels like it's more half empty than half full.
She got all excited and said she had to tell me a story about a friend of hers. So she proceeded to tell me about this friend who had been praying for a financial need and that God didn't provide for that need until just moments before the deadline. Frustrated, her friend asked the Lord why He, on many occasions, waited until the last moment to answer our prayers. He was surprised that the Lord actually answered that question, because all the other times he asked that question of the Lord, there was no answer, or at least none that he could hear.
This time God did answer, and His answer blessed me so much that I had to share it. He said that God waited until the last minute to answer his prayer because He wanted to prolong the pleasure of his child trusting Him. Wow! My trusting Him, gives Him pleasure. And what even more amazing is that He gives us the ability to trust Him. Wow!

Resting

2008-08-29T08:53:00.000-07:00

I just listened to this very encouraging message by this guy named John Lynch. The message he gave is nothing new to me, but it was very well delivered and was something I needed to hear...again.
I've been wrestling with where I am concerning my relationship with the Lord and this message helped me realize my wrestling, in this case, is wasted energy. God loves me and there is nothing I can do to change that fact.
It would be worth your time to listen.

Back to the basics.

2008-08-24T10:38:00.000-07:00

I feel like the older we become, the more questions we have about life and what's even more frustrating than the questions, is the fact that so many of them seem to go unanswered or at least unanswered to our satisfaction. My husband and I were talking about feeling like we're not hearing God very well because for the past couple of years our lives have been a mess. As believers in Christ, we know that life is messy, and none of us is immune from trials or tribulation. But it crossed my mind that our combined years (and we're talking close to 80 years or so) of being in relationship with the Lord, should have produced some sensitivity to His voice.

However, it feels like we're missing something because we’ve just been limping along for some time now, certainly not living very victorious lives (as far as we can tell) and this is really hard to understand. Currently we are feeling totally helpless and I'm beginning to think that maybe realizing we are helpless IS the point; that helplessness isn’t a negative thing, but a freeing thing. And if that’s the lesson in this struggle, that’s OK, we’re totally there. We can freely admit we are helpless without the Lord. And it is freeing to realize that it's not up to us. But the part we don't get is the feeling of hopelessness that has attached itself to our helplessness. Sure, we fight being helpless, but this feeling of hopelessness is far worse.

The best explanation I can come up with as I ponder the issue of not being able to hear the Lord’s voice of hope, is that we've somehow gotten into the habit of boxing the Lord in with our expectations regarding prayer. I know that faith is required to believe in the Lord, trusting that He always has our best interest in mind, when and how He chooses to answer our prayers or speak to us. But faith involves our hearts and we are helpless to change anything regarding our hearts. That's His job. So what are we to do? We don't want to feel hopeless. We want to trust the Lord, but we're having a hard time believing we're where He wants us to be when we don't feel like we are hearing Him, have no clue what our next step should be, and are hopeless to see the future in a positive light.

So, when doubts are as plentiful as our are right now, it's best to go back to the basics, back to the truth of scripture, and remember that even though we don't feel like there is hope for the future or feel like we are headed in the right direction, (whatever that direction is), based on the Lords response or non response to our prayers or circumstances, that doesn't mean He’s abandoned us. This is where our faith is truly tested and our combined years of knowing His faithfulness to us is what will carry us through this time of uncertainty. We must trust our hearts to Him who created them and believe that He will hold us close in our times of doubt. We must choose to believe that His love for us is not based on what WE DO, but is based on what He has already done for me when He hung on the cross. And we must choose to believe that He always comes through on His promises. It’s ALL up to Him and that is where we must go to find rest.

Hebrew 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

John 15:16 "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you."

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world,] that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."

Psalm 42:5 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.

Psalm 130:5 wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope;

Lamentations 3:24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”

Walking

2008-08-23T07:03:00.000-07:00

After a health scare earlier this summer, which turned out to be stress related, I'm back to walking for exercise again, and it is good. I didn't realize how much I missed having this ritual or routine in my life until I started doing it again.

You see, I used to walk 4-5 days a week with a friend and then things sorta fell apart when our husbands had a bit of a falling out and then walking with this friend became too painful emotionally, for both of us I'm sure, so we just quit. That was a little over two years ago. I tried taking my dog with me when I went for my walks, but she's getting pretty old and I feared it was too much for her. So walking alone, without my friend or my dog was a new experience and I wasn't very excited about returning to this type of exercise on a regular basis until about two months ago when my doctor encouraged me to exercise more to help relieve some of my stress.

Like I said earlier, walking again has been good in many ways. My four mile walk is much more than just an exercise routine; it's a necessary thing in my life. I know I'm not alone in my thinking regarding this solitary time. For me it is an opportunity to commune with God, to think, pray or just meditate on the Scripture. I also like to listen to music, but my current favorite is listening to "the Bible Experience", a dramatization of the Bible and I love it.

So with iPod in hand I head out, usually early in the morning, with great anticipation about what I'm going to glean from listening to the Word of God while enjoying the beauty of my neighborhood and getting a bit of beneficial exercise at the same time. I think my ability to cope with stress has improved thanks to the release of endorphins that resemble opiates that produce analgesia and a sense of well-being released when one exercises. (Thank you WordWeb online.) But mostly I think I feel like I have a bit more control of my life, even though the idea that any of us has much control of anything is truly an illusion in itself. But at least I feel like I'm doing something positive, making my body a little stronger, rather than allowing my nervous energy destroy my body, and that IS a good thing.

Summer challenges

2008-06-06T06:35:00.000-07:00

I've been chiding my son for not posting in his blog (encouraging him to just journal this way so we know how to pray for him more specifically as he is in Kathmandu, Nepal), and thought best to take my own advice and just jot down a few thoughts of my own. I'm going to try and do this on a more regular basis. This challenge will be good for me...I think.

Right now I'm a bit envious of my friend Ann who is beginning her six week mission trip in Africa. She answered God's call to travel to Gulu, Uganda to be a part of a team sent with a project called Invisible Children. She just posted her journal of the first few days of this great adventure she is blessed to be a part of and it was so good to hear what has happened so far. I so appreciated her honesty and willingness to share as she did, because not all has been smooth sailing. As I read her journal I could almost hear her speaking and her comments brought back vivid memories of the time my husband and I went to visit our daughter while she was serving the Lord in Calcutta, India. It made me wish I had a "traveling to another country" type adventure to look forward to this summer. Oh well..

Ann's comments on the extreme poverty she witnessed reminded me of how overwhelmed and heartbroken I was when we first arrived in Calcutta viewed similar circumstances along the streets in that country. I remember how very, very small and helpless I felt in this world where there is so much suffering. It took only moments to give proper perspective to our life in this country.

However, instead of traveling to a foreign country, my adventure is limited to being home and working through my own faith struggle; believing that the Lord is who He says He is and that He is the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Heb.11:6 Pleasing Him is that simple and is what I want to do at this moment. I pray that this struggle of believing God and wanting to please Him isn't just self serving, that I will be open and to answering His call to serve Him by serving my community as opportunity arises. This is "The great adventure" isn't it; being ready and willing to answer His call regardless of what it is? Time will tell...

In earlier posts I've inserted a favorite recipe from my kitchen and will once again continue that practice with each post. Today it's Carrot Cake today, just because....

Carrot Cake
1 ½ Cups Vegetable Oil (or 1 Cup oil + 1/2 Cup applesause)
2 Cups Sugar
4 Large eggs
2 Cups Flour
2 tsp. Cinnamon
2 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Salt
1 Cup Raisins
3 Cups Grated Carrots
1 Cup Chopped Nuts
1 Small can Crushed Pineapple (unsweetened)

Icing
1 8oz. package Cream Cheese (softened)
½ Stick Butter or Margarine
1 tsp. Vanilla
3-4 Cups Powdered Sugar

Cream together sugar, oil, and eggs.
Add carrots, pineapple, nuts and raisins.
Add salt, baking powder, and cinnamon.
Add flour and mix well. Pour batter into a well greased 9x13 baking pan and bake 50-55 minutes @ 350°. Insert knife into center of cake to check doneness. Frost when completely cooled.

Chance meeting

2008-03-08T05:34:00.000-08:00

I bumped into a friend the other day when I was out shopping (literally our carts almost hit each other) and it was so good to see her. The last time we saw each other was last fall. We stood right there in the middle of the women's clothing section and hugged each other long and hard. It was one of those hugs that says I really love and care for you my friend, my sister, and because of that unspoken communication, there is no pretense with the spoken. We could be real with each other as we shared about our families, the blessings and the hardships, and we did, for about 20 minutes, right in the middle of the women's clothing section. This "chance" meeting really made my day.

I'm learning that much or most of life is struggle, and that the struggle is the ongoing sanctification process. It's the necessary part of becoming "like Christ", the constant dying to self so the Lord can use me for the kingdoms sake. But I hate it. I hate it because the struggle always forces me to release my comfort and control idols and I don't want to let go without a fight. In this place where I feel comfort and control being ripped from my hands I've been praying that the Lord would open my eyes to see Him and his hand of blessing, because I know He is the One who will save me and comfort like no other. My problem is that I don't see the way He is blessing me because I just don't take the time to look for Him nor do I truly believe how intimately involved He is in my everyday life, that the things I care about or worry about He cares about too. There seems to be this huge disconnect between what I know in my head and what I believe in my heart and I don't know why.

Which bring me back to seeing my friend while shopping. Seeing her, hugging her and being hugged by her, sharing our stories of blessing and struggle was a huge blessing to me. Even as we embraced again before going our separate ways I knew we had been in the presence of the Lord. God was there. My friend was Jesus in the flesh to me and I needed to feel His nearness during a time when life seems totally out of control and my comfort level is most definitely being challenged. The amazing thing is that He opened my eyes to see the way He was choosing to bless me and I had hope. It wasn't just a "chance" meeting of two friends in a discount department store, but it was a planned blessing from the Lord. It was the Lord saying to me, "I know, I'm here, don't be afraid."

It's so very comforting that the Lord so aware of our fragile state and our need for him. What's even more comforting is that He wants us to know how much He loves us and wants us to know He's always there.

2008-01-30T10:37:00.000-08:00

To say that life is sometimes confusing and unpredictable is an understatement, especially in the light of what we've been through these past several years. But it's equally easy to say that the way the Lord has provided for us spiritually, mentally, and physically is also pretty amazing. Even as we face a very uncertain future, we can be confident that the Lord with be with us. The Lord is good and His name is to be praised.

At our community group someone shared this prayer by Thomas Merton with the group and it pretty much sums up our lives (my husbands and mine) and I thought it was worth sharing.

Thomas Merton's Prayer

MY LORD GOD, I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you.
And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.

- Thomas Merton, "Thoughts in Solitude"

Family Reunion

2007-07-19T12:59:00.000-07:00

We just got home from a week of reunions with family and friends. It truly was a wonderful week despite being very event filled, with little down time. We are fortunate that we have good relationships with pretty much all of our family members, so it's always a joy to see everyone. And we have a family who is willing to put a hold on their busy schedules to accommodate our visit and make us feel welcomed and loved.

The first few days in CA we were with my side of the family. There are only three siblings (plus our immediate families) left since my mom, dad and older brother are all deceased. My brother and sister and their families live in Southern CA near the beach, so we took every opportunity to hang out on or near the beach each day we were there. One of the days we walked along the waters edge, getting our feet wet and running as the larger waves chased us up the beach. We laughed a lot and the weather could not have been better. It was a sweet time.

I think besides missing my family, the only other thing I miss about not living where I grew up is the ocean. Every time we visit CA, I'm reminded of how much I love the sound of the ocean, the warm days and cool nights. But even that isn't enough to lure us back because I don't think I could handle the traffic in Southern CA if I had to drive in it all the time. It really is something else!!!

We also visited Paul's side of our family and that visit was totally different because instead of our group consisting of 6-7, it was more like 45 people ranging in age from 18 months-92 years old. Paul is one of 10 kids, so with all of those siblings and their family's and some of their kids family's, we had quite a crowd. It was wonderful to reconnect with everyone, although I had a brief bit of sadness because my kids weren't there and I know they would have had a blast.

We all hung out at the park in Paso Robles and listened to a band that played Swing music the first evening we were together. The next day we were at Avila beach, where we played in the sand and water, consumed many somewhat sandy sandwiches, and some of us got more sun than was good for us despite the multiple applications of sun screen. Oh well.... One of Paul's brothers brought his small sailboat so we took turns going for boat rides. Paul's 92 year old dad even sailed. We ended the day with a giant bonfire on the beach which felt great once the sun went down. Someone brought marsh mellows, chocolate and graham crackers, and I can't even say how many smores were made and consumed by all who were there. It was a wonderful way to end that glorious day.

We also spent time with long time friends, again taking advantage of the beach and the good weather. We were exhausted at the end of our time spent in CA, but what could be better than a vacation spent with people we love dearly, hanging out in some of our favorite places and talking about how God has blessed us and how rich our lives are because of His goodness to us.

This trip was a gift from the Lord and thanks to all the cameras, digital cameras, and video cameras that were there, plus computers, we can relive those precious times and share them with those who weren't fortunate to be there.

Communion

2007-04-17T14:02:00.001-07:00

For I have received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, "This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me."
In the same way also he took the cup, after supper saying. "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."
I Corinthians 11:23-25

I love that we celebrate Communion every Sunday at my church. I love that there is time set aside every Sunday to think about areas in my life where I need God's intervention, His forgiveness, His cleansing. I like it that this time isn't rushed, that there's time for reflection, and that it's up to the individual to decide when he/she is ready to partake of the Lord's supper. I love that I'm surrounded by fellow believers and that we are united not by what we have done as individuals, but by what Christ has done for us.
I wait patiently in line for my turn to tear the small piece of bread from the loaf that is being held by one of the communion servers, dip it into the wine and partake. And now it's my turn. I step before the server, ours eyes meet and we smile at one another. Though we don't know each other well, there is a connection, an understanding that we have a Savior who has paid the debt for our sin, and we are family. It is good and I'm thankful.

Let us come, then, hungering and thirsting for the body and blood of the Lord. He will be present to satisfy the spiritual desires of which He is Himself the author. It would be no feast without Himself. Mere common bread, mere common wine, mere meeting with one another, would this sacrament be unless Jesus Himself were here. "He must break the bread, if it is to nourish my soul. He must pour out the wine, if it is to refresh and gladden me." And we doubt not that He will do this. We come in obedience to His command, and we rely upon His promise. We will seek to commune under their influence, and then we will go away from the table joyfully and exultingly declaring: "As the apple-tree among the trees of the wood, so is my Beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight and his fruit was sweet to my taste."
- Unknown

Missions possible

2006-12-16T05:32:00.000-08:00

Our kids just recently informed us that they may be returning to the mission field. This is all only if the Lord wills of course, but I have little doubt that it is His will that they serve Him in this capacity. They have both spent time overseas and I had a feeling that once they did that, the desire to go again would soon return.

As their mom, and I think I can also speak for my husband regarding this, we do have mixed emotions about this whole thing, but overall we're OK with it which, in my mind is just one more indicator to affirm their going. I think that's just amazingly gracious of the Lord to give us such peace about both of our kids leaving home like this.

Our kids are great and that's something most parents hope to say about their children, but it's really true with ours. I know they aren't perfect by any sense of the imagination and I'm sure they would be the first to admit that. They are both fiercely independent, well grounded, strong in their beliefs and for sure aren't afraid to express their opinions, although not in an obnoxious way because they are also both rather introverted and don't like to attract to much attention to themselves. They are so different from each other, but then again as they have aged, they have become so very much alike. I know, it sounds like I'm talking about twins, but they are really twenty-two months apart in age.

As I think about them I wonder where this spirit of adventure came from. I am however, married to an entrepreneur and one must have as sense of adventure to do the things he has done over the years, so some of his fearlessness must have rubbed off on them, because it certainly didn't come from me! I'm such a home body, and I mean that in the extreme. I'm also an introvert and am self protective too. So how did our children become what they are? How did they, having been raised in our comfortable American culture, come to the place where they are willing to give it all up and move to countries where even some of the well-to-do don't have as much as they had growing up and even have now? I guess the answer to that question is that they have chosen to answer God's call, the call to go and live amongst the poor in order to serve them in the name of Christ. And those who are Believers know there's no use trying to ignore or run from God's call. So, they will each go to different countries and stay for a three year term, if that is indeed the Lord's will. To say that we are proud of them and admire them would be an understatement.

I hate to think about how much we will miss them if they do indeed end up going, because our family is very close. I think I'll put that thought off for as long as possible. And to be sure, if they go, I just hope the Lord allows us to take a trip to visit them while they are there.

social event

2006-10-29T17:21:00.000-08:00

This past Friday evening was interesting. I attended a "social event" where I work. This event was planned a few months ago with the hope that we could get to know our student workers a little better. Our original thinking was that since it was fall break, the students might be more likely to come to a "social event". Little did we know, however, that the Cardinals would be playing in the World Series in what turned out to be the final game of the series, and that most of our student workers had other plans, like family in town. So really the only people who came were those of us who have been working with each other for some time now and two students.

My husband, who is a super great guy, and who is always supportive of everything I do, was wonderful to come with me to this event even though these types of things can often be kind of awkward, and there was a World Series baseball game to watch. My co-workers and I all know each other in the work environment, but dynamics can change when the work is taken out of the picture, spouses are present and we are forced to interact on a social level. It was however a nice evening, complete with a fun game of "Bunco" with prizes, and all sorts of culinary delights. I know for sure that none of us went home hungry.

One of my new favorite appetizers to take to social events and one of the dishes I added to the food table for this event is a recipe I got off the web, but I added a little something to make it my own. And now I'll share it with you.

Spicy Chicken Wings with Blue Cheese

2- 13 oz cans chicken or 4 cooked chicken breast halves (diced)
1- 8 oz pkg cream cheese (softened)
3/4 Cup Ranch dressing
3/4 Cup Crystals hot sauce
3/4 crumbled blue cheese

Mix the cream cheese, dressing, and hot sauce together.
Add the chicken.
Spread in a 8X8 in baking pan and bake at 350* for 1 hour.
Sprinkle with blue cheese and serve with Fritos, Tortilla chips or crackers.

Shredded Kleenex?

2006-10-11T12:11:00.000-07:00

Don't you just hate it when you accidentally leave a Kleenex in the pocket of something you're washing and when the load is finished everything is covered with Kleenex lint? I have to admit I've done it way to many times, probably more than I can count on both hands, because I almost always have a Kleenex in my pocket.

I always grab a tissue before leaving the house. I guess I have this fear that I'll get to wherever I'm going and my nose will start to run and all I'll have is my sleeve or the back of my hand or nothing. Either that or I'm turning into my mother. (Mom not only had a tissue in every pocket, but she also had one tucked in her sleeve). Well, in truth I think I turned into my mother a long time ago, but it's crazy how many times I've thrown clothes into the washer after having thoroughly checked every pocket of every item that has a pocket and still, I've missed that one illusive tissue. So when the load of laundry has gone through the spin cycle, that tissue that stayed so well hidden has now made itself very public on every single piece of clothing that is in that load. And it's especially bad if the load of laundry you've just washed along with the hidden Kleenex happens to be a dark load, because the dryer will get the big pieces of lint, but won't get the individual fibers that have become one with my black pants or my husbands black shirt. One has to either spend the next 30 minutes brushing or trying to shake lint off of every piece of clothing and/or wash the load all over again (although maybe without soap this time). And it doesn't stop there. After all of my shaking and brushing, the mess of Kleenex lint is now all over the laundry room and I have to get the vacuum cleaner and clean that up too. Maybe I should consider more seriously only using cotton handkerchiefs.

Weather's changing

2006-10-11T08:07:00.000-07:00

Today is my day off from work and I usually take a long walk with the dog, but today it's kinda drizzly and cool and to be honest, I really didn't feel like taking a long walk. However, on the short walk I did take, I found much pleasure in the cool air and the sight of all the leaves covering the sidewalk and lawns. We've had a day or two cooler weather as the change of season has begun and it's felt a bit like autumn, but today it looks like autumn. There were a places, as I was walking, where there were golden and orange leaves all around me, like a tunnel of color. It was really beautiful, and it made me want to come home and make a pot of soup or bake some bread. So soup it is, and one of our favorites is a creamy broccoli cheddar soup that is very tasty and easy to make.

I first came upon the recipe in a cookbook called "Healthy Homestyle Cooking", but as with most recipes I use, I've tweaked it just a little bit to suit my family's tastes. So here's my "tweaked" version of Cream of Broccoli Soup.

Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Soup

6 Cups Chopped fresh or frozen broccoli pieces
3 Cups Chicken broth
2 Cups Evaporated Milk
2-3 Cups Grated Cheddar Cheese
1/4 Cup Cornstarch
1 Tsp. Thyme
Salt & Pepper to taste

In a large saucepan, cook broccoli in chicken broth until tender, about 8-10 minutes.
Using a food processor or blender, puree broccoli and chicken broth together and return it to the sauce pan. Add the Thyme.
Mix the cornstarch with 1/2 cup of evaporated milk and stir into broccoli mixture. Cook and stir mixture until bubbly and thickened then slowly add the remaining evaporated milk. Add cheddar cheese and salt and pepper to desired taste. Makes about 4 servings.

Treasures in the Kitchen

2006-09-27T08:09:00.000-07:00

Thanks to our daughter, who is awesome and set up this blog for me, and...is also a very good writer, (bragging rights are always left to the parents!!), I'm not left in the dust when it comes to all this blogging and journaling online. I'm not sure how comfortable I'm going to be with it since I'm not that technologically adept, but I'm willing to give it a go.

Since this IS my first post I thought I'd start with something I'm more comfortable with...like a recipe. Maybe this counts as sharing from my heart since I really do like to cook and what comes from my kitchen is usually made with hopes that it will bring culinary pleasure to those who eat the food I've prepared.

This is a simple cookie recipe, not my own I have to admit, that I've modified somewhat and they're really good. I made them the first time to take share with our friends who we meet up with at Forest Park for Twilight Tuesdays. Everyone who tried them pronounced them yummy. I don't, however, understand the name they've been given. Yummy Fruit & Nut Bars seems more applicable, but it's not my recipe so I don't get to choose the name. In any case, I hope you enjoy them.

Dungeon Bars (???)

1 Cup Butter
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup White Sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. Vanilla
1 Cup Flour
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. Baking Soda
1 Cup Oats
1 Cup Raisins

I substituted Craisins for the raisins and added 1 Cup of finely chopped walnuts.

Preheat oven to 350* Cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla.
Add flour, salt, and baking soda. Stir in oats and raisins.

Spread batter in greased 9x13 baking pan.
Bake 30 minutes. Cool slightly and cut into bars.

From: Catering to Nobody by Diane Mott Davidson.

2006-09-26T07:48:00.000-07:00

Hello world.

2006-09-25T19:43:00.000-07:00

Greetings! We are the kitchen gnomes. We'll be teaching you all about gnomestyle, gnomery and the fine arts of sauerkraut poetry and nostril flaring. It's going to be grand, hold onto your hats and all other loose objects (read: bifocals).