THE BAPTIST WHITE LIE CAKE ~ A little Sunday Morning Humor

I received this in an email several years back and LOVED it!

Have you ever told a white lie? You are going to love this, especially all of the ladies who bake for church events.

Alice Grayson was to bake a cake for the Baptist Church Ladies’ Group in Tuscaloosa, but forgot to do it until the last minute.

She remembered it the morning of the bake sale and after rummaging through cabinets, found an angel food cake mix & quickly made it while drying her hair, dressing, and helping her son pack up for Scout camp.

When she took the cake from the oven, the center had dropped flat and the cake was horribly disfigured and she exclaimed, “Oh dear, there is not time to bake another cake!”
 
This cake was important to Alice because she did so want to fit in at her new church, and in her new community of friends.  So, being inventive, she looked around the house for something to build up the center of the cake. She found it in the bathroom – a roll of toilet paper. She plunked it in and then covered it with icing.

Not only did the finished product look beautiful, it looked perfect. And, before she left the house to drop the cake by the church and head for work,  Alice  woke her daughter and gave her some money and specific instructions to be at the bake sale the moment it opened at 9:30 and to buy the cake and bring it home. When the daughter arrived at the sale, she found the attractive, perfect cake had already been sold. Amanda grabbed her cell phone & called her mom.

Alice was horrified-she was beside herself! Everyone would know! What would they think? She would be ostracized, talked about, ridiculed! All night,  Alice  lay awake in bed thinking about people pointing fingers at her and talking about her behind her back.

The next day, Alice  promised herself she would try not to think about the cake and would attend the fancy luncheon/bridal shower at the home of a fellow church member and try to have a good time.  She did not really want to attend because the hostess was a snob who more than once had looked down her nose at the fact that Alice was a single parent and not from the founding families of Tuscaloosa, but having already RSVP’d , she couldn’t think of a believable excuse to stay home.

The meal was elegant, the company was definitely upper crust old south and to Alice’s horror, the cake in question was presented for dessert!  Alice  felt the blood drain from her body when she saw the cake!  She started out of her chair to tell the hostess all about it, but before she could get to her feet, the Mayor’s wife said, “What a beautiful cake!”

Alice, still stunned, sat back in her chair when she heard the hostess (who was a prominent church member) say, “Thank you, I baked it myself..”

Alice smiled and thought to herself, “God is good.”

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LIFE – IT IS WHAT IT IS!

As I was scrolling through facebook this morning I ran across this post from 7 years ago. I found it speaking to me as it still describes life so well. I’m also pleased to say that even though there have been MANY (cancer, 5 surgeries and The House from HELL just to name a few of the BIG ones) curve balls thrown at me since then, I have de-cluttered my life really well, for the most part. So I offer you a rerun of that post below.

 
“Life has this funny way of testing us and sneaking in trials and tribulations that  weren’t in our original game plan never quite fit into “OUR” plans.  That is how it’s been for me the past many months.
 

As many of you know I have spent the last 7 1/2 months helping out various  family members around the country.  First it was my elderly in-laws  (MIL just turned 90) who begged us to come help them sell everything including the house and move them closer to family (we all know how that went – FIL is still trying to assign sentimental prices to everything in sight) and now it is my aunt & uncle.  My aunt has end stage Parkinsons disease, such a sad disease.  My aunt is extremely artistic and a beautiful painter – or at least she was.  The Dyskinesia from the Parkinsons disease has robbed her of that ability. My uncle recently saw the Oprah episode on hoarders and has decided that my aunt is one.  Trust me, she isn’t.  I once worked for a real estate company as a stager for homes and they would send me in to work on homes that were similar to those on the Oprah show – those were horrible.  So ask yourself, what is my (your) happy medium on the stuff I’ve (you’ve) accumulated?  My theory?  If you have a place for each item and it’s in its place, you’re NOT a pack rat or a hoarder.  I do offer you the definitions below.

This is one of my favorite paintings of hers. She did have a LARGE collection of art supplies and empty tins for storing those items in, but in her defense men do think in simpler terms and this is just a meeting of the minds discussion.  And in his defense they should be getting rid of most of this as she is now in a assisted living home and will not be able to use these items again.  Donating them to the church or a school while they are still usable would be best, but can’t be forced.  I pray that I will have more grace regarding these type of decisions if I reach that point and give up things more willingly, but none of us can ever be in one another’s shoes and truly know what we would do.
 
  • Also called trade rat. a large, bushy-tailed rodent, Neotoma cinerea, of North America, noted for carrying off small articles to store in its nest.
  • A person who collects, saves, or hoards useless small items or an old prospector or guide.

HOARD 

  • a supply or accumulation that is hidden or carefully guarded for preservation, future use, etc…
  • to accumulate money, food, or the like, in a hidden or carefully guarded place for preservation, future use, etc…
Long story short (I know too late), I have decided it is time to take back MY life.  So, over the next couple of months I will be making some changes.  Some big, some small, but ALL necessary to be myself and get a handle on MY life.”
 
My aunt passed 4 years ago and in the end they found she did not have Parkinson’s disease, but did have Lewy Body disease.  Unfortunately the only way to tell for sure is through an autopsy. The treatments are similar and in the end would not have changed much.  She was offered the DBS (deep brain stimulating) surgery early on and refused it (surgery scared her to death – especially brain surgery). As her disease progressed she wanted the surgery, but had waited just too long and it was no longer a viable option.

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HAPPY HOMEMAKER & MENU PLAN MONDAY week 23 of 2017

I hope everyone had a wonderful week/weekend. Our Memorial Day weekend was hot and humid when the air conditioning went out and we couldn’t get the A/C guy here until Tuesday morning – seems like these things always happen on a holiday weekend. Then, just shortly after I posted Happy Homemaker Monday last week my world fell apart and I lost most of the week.
 
Grief is a strange thing in how it affects us. We had to make the worst decision of our life at the emergency vet Monday morning.  Losing my best friend, my Whiskey dog, truly was the last straw in a string of multiple deaths the past few months and I just fell all to pieces. I know she was almost 15, but I just wasn’t ready for it to happen the way it did.
 
Once I started to pull out of the deep hole I was in I did get a few things done, but will try and take up the slack this week. Hoping to get back to myself this week.
 
THE WEATHER OUTSIDE
 
I have given up on listening to the weatherman – the weather will be what it will be. The only thing I can count on is that hurricane season is here and it will be hot and humid! We did have a HUGE storm yesterday and have a pretty high chance of thunderstorms again today and tomorrow.
 

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE

Oatmeal with brown sugar and golden raisins with coffee.

AS I LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE / WEEKLY TO DO LIST & HOUSE PROJECTS

  • LAUNDRYjust a couple loads of towels to be folded.
  • LIVING AREASmostly tidy, but need to do floors.
  • KITCHENquite clean, but I plan to make a mess soon as I do the last resurfacing of the countertops. 
  • STUDIO... I did a deep clean week before last and was planning on making messes as I began some Christmas cards but never got around to them with all the sadness from losing Whiskey.  I just couldn’t get into the spirit.
  • YARDAdding some grass seeds and fertilizer.
  • BLOGsome recipe updating and planning for future posts.  I’m even thinking ahead to BLOGMAS 2017

CURRENTLY READING & TELEVISION / DVR

We did watch two amazing movies this week.  I’m convinced RedBox released them just this week especially for me! Both movies were in perfect timing with the tough week we were having. The first was A DOG’S PURPOSE and then THE SHACK. They both spoke to my heart and soul to restore order to my world. It is just that simple!

Ironically, the quote that spoke the loudest to me was also the one Sandra posted.  We must have both felt the same thing, which is a good thing in my book.

I need to check and see if there are any new shows starting this week for the summer, but for now we are just watching some Netflix shows and waiting for the summer season to really kick in. At least America’s got talent is back and I like Tyra Banks as Nick Cannon’s replacement.

Still trying to finish the Ava Miles Dare River 5 book series. I’m on book 5 finally, The Fountain of Infinite Wishes

MENU PLANS FOR THE WEEK

Last week’s menu never happened so we’ll try again this week. I did have a couple recipes from last week that were already ready to post at least.

 
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
BREAKFAST
FRUIT & COFFEE
SCRAMBLED EGGS
FRUIT SMOOTHIE
FRUIT & COFFEE
SCRAMBLED EGGS
OUT
OUT
LUNCH
FRUIT & CHEESE
SOUP
MEAT ROLL-UPS
SALAD
MEAT & CHEESE
OUT
OUT
DINNER
BEEF STROGANOFF & SALAD
VENETIAN CHICKEN AND MASHED POTATOES
PIONEER BEAN DINNER and CORN BREAD
ARTICHOKE FRITTERS & HOMEMADE MAC & CHEESE
PECAN CHICKEN with MAPLE CREAM SAUCE from LYNN’S PARADISE CAFE
OUT
OUT
DESSERT
             

SUCCESSFUL RECIPE LINKS FROM LAST WEEK

HEALTH & BEAUTY TIPS

HOMEMAKING/COOKING TIP

THINGS THAT ARE MAKING ME HAPPY or ON MY MIND

There have been so many things going on in our life the past few years that I have been fretting about or just being upset about.  I keep focusing on a time in my life when I wanted to do something (who can even remember what now?) and saying something along the lines of “That’s NOT fair!” and my dad replying with “who said life was gong to be fair?”. That one statement was maybe one of the best lessons I ever learned in life.  There are a few things I know for sure:

  • BAD things DO happen to GOOD people.
  • We can NEVER know for sure what someone else is thinking or feeling. 
  • OUR life experiences are only ours as are OUR reactions to events.

The scene in THE SHACK where Mack meets Wisdom spoke volumes to me.  It truly reminds me that we need to realize and remember that we are truly here to help others, NOT be their judge. Our path to happiness and a sense of purpose in this life that leaves us content depends on our ability to do just that.

The other important scene to me was where the Father teaches him about forgiveness. Forgiveness is for you as much as anything so you are not wallowing in your own grief and discontent. You can NEVER change the past so you MUST find a way to live in the present and be available to a future that is happy and loving.

LOOKING FORWARD TO

  • A short trip later this week for hubby’s military unit.
  • Planning our research trip for next month.

FAVORITE PHOTO FROM THE CAMERA

Granted this is from 15 years ago, but I had to post it. IT IS ONE OF MY TWO ALL TIME FAVORITES. I found enough old pictures to do Whiskey’s memorial post while I had it me to do it.

INSPIRATION

That said:

Be sure to link up with Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom for Happy homemaker Monday and with Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie for Menu Plan Monday.

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PIONEER BEAN DINNER

PIONEER BEAN DINNER
1/2 pound ground chuck, browned and drained
1/2 pound bacon, crisply fried and crumbled
1 small onion, chopped small
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/8 cup Country Bob’s All Purpose Sauce*
1 tablespoon molasses
16 ounces pork and beans
16 ounces black beans

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Combine everything into a greased 9×9 baking dish.
  • Bake for 45-60 minutes.

NOTE 1: *A-1 works also

NOTE 2: This recipe works really well in a slow cooker all day also.

VANILLA COGNAC BRINED PORK with GINGERSNAP GRAVY

This recipe originated from the Southern Living cookbook, Off the Eaten Path as Vanilla-Cognac-Brined Pork Tenderloin with Gingersnap Jus. It’s from the Krazy Kat Restaurant at The Inn at Montchanin Village in Delaware. I made just a few changes to work with what I had on hand and really liked them so will keep the changes for future meals.

VANILLA COGNAC BRINED PORK with GINGERSNAP GRAVY

1/2 cup cognac
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian flat leaf parsley
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons corriander seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons tri-color peppercorns
2 bay leaves
1 vanilla bean. split and scraped
3 cups water
1 1/2 pounds bone-in pork chops

  • Whisk together everything except the pork chops.
  • Place pork chops in a Tupperware marinader or ziplock bag in a bowl (in case it leaks).
  • Add brine mixture and close, marinading for 24 hours.  If using the Tupperware turn it over every few hours.
  • Begin gravy before grilling chops.
  • When ready to grill, drain pork chops of all marinade and pat dry.
  • Grill 3-5 minutes preside depending on thickness until 155˚.
  • Let meat rest under foil 10 minutes.

GINGERSNAP GRAVY

18 gingersnap cookies
1 1/2 teaspoons avocado oil
1 Shallot, diced
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
1/2 cup Marsala wine
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 cups beef broth
2 tablespoons molasses

  • Pulse cookies in food processor until finely ground.
  • Heat oil in sauce pan over medium-high heat.
  • Saute’ shallot and caraway seeds until onion softens.
  • Add wine, vinegar and broth.
  • Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.
  • Slowly whisk in cookies and molasses until well blended and gravy thickens.

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SNICKERDOODLES an ALL TIME FAVORITE

APPLE PIE SNICKERDOODLES
1 cup butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
2 3/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

  • Preheat oven to 400°.
  • Sift together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
  • Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
  • Add eggs, beating well after each addition.
  • Gradually add in flour mixture until well blended.

3-4 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon apple pie spice

  • Combine sugar and apple pie spice until well blended.
  • Form cookie dough into small balls about walnut sized.
  • Roll each cookie ball in the sugar spice mixture and place on un-greased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.
  • Bake 8-10 minutes or until golden.
  • Cool 2 minutes before placing on wire rack to cool completely.
  • Decorations are melted candy bark and sprinkle.

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Sweet WHISKEY Sour ~ August 2, 2002 to May 29, 2017

Almost 15 years ago hubby got me the BEST birthday present ever, the golden retriever puppy I had always wanted. We wanted a buddy for our 6 month old black lab, Gunner.

It was difficult to find a female puppy and eventually we found one, but there were a couple catches.  She was two hours away and had to be named before we ever even saw her because they had to file the paperwork immediately. Oh and hubby had just had knee surgery, was on crutches and had National Guard Duty the weekend she HAD to be picked up.

We were at the VFW and trying to think of names.  I knew her mom’s name was Ruby so we started thinking about drink names that used alcohols that were amber or ruby in color.  I started browsing through a Mr. Boston cocktail book and that is when we decided on SWEET WHISKEY SOUR.  Since we had never met her we figured the name covered EVERY possible aspect of personality. We sure didn’t need to include the sour part.  Whiskey was the sweetest, most perfect dog ever.

Since hubby couldn’t take me to get her, my brother did.  We were NOT prepared the amount of cuteness we were going to encounter when we arrived.  She was one of 12 puppies and I think 10 of them had some form of alcohol name… Amaretto, Brandy, Cognac … Turned out she was the runt of the litter. Teeny tiny really, fit in the palm of your hand size, wear my scrunchy for a collar size.

For all these years I can only truly think of maybe two times she ever got in trouble. Our plan for her to be a buddy to our black lab, Gunner didn’t work out immediately.  She was so tiny that she couldn’t be left alone with Gunny. So, she started commuting to work with me and keeping the customers company at the Auto Repair shop I managed. She became a seasoned traveler and loved to climb into the package shelf of my Camry so she could see everything.  I had a LONG drive (65 miles each way) so she really got to see A LOT of things that she thought were really cool. Eventually she grew into her breed size and she and Gunny became best buds.

This past weekend was one of the saddest and hardest ever with the air conditioning going out and NO ONE available until tomorrow to fix it and then waking up on Memorial day today to the fact that we were going to be saying goodbye to the sweetest dog ever and with no warning!

Her breed has a life span of 10-12 years and we had been battling with seizures and chronic ear infections for years, and then more recently hip dysplasia and multiple tumors the past few months so knew we had been on borrowed time for quite awhile. We have been having to help her up and down for a couple months now and then today she had some form of Inner Ear Infarction and could not stand or walk. The vet says it happens all of a sudden, but that doesn’t mean we’re not kicking ourselves for not finding a way to prevent it.  Making this decision killed us, but ultimately her quality of life (or lack of) was the most important thing to us. She was hanging on for us, we knew that and it made it even harder to make the decision, but her sweet face in agony made the decision for us. Our vet has been in awe of her making it to 14 3/4, actually all our animals being so old for quite some time. We lost a 21 year old cat, Dickens a few years ago as she died in my arms and still have Gunny the black lab at 15 1/4 and Sady the cat at 19 later this week.

She wanted to go out with hubby so bad and stood at the back door waiting until he returned. There is so much more I could write, but honestly I am still so torn up emotionally that I just need some down time to mourn her.

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HAPPY HOMEMAKER & MENU PLAN MONDAY week 22 of 2017

I CANNOT believe we are entering the 22 week of the year!  Where has the time gone? Memorial Day Weekend around our house is usually a VERY relaxed time where we pretty much do just what we want. We did watch a couple NASCAR races (rain delays and all) and we were going to truly finish the last project, putting up the shade cloth for the back patio so we can no spend a little time out there with our coffee in the morning or a glass of wine in the evening, but alas the air conditioning went out on Saturday and we were just too warm and miserable to bother. Of course the air conditioning went out at 6pm on Saturday of a holiday weekend! W.O.R.S.T. case and time possible. It looks like it will be Tuesday sometime before we can even get it looked at so we’re just hanging in there hoping for cooler temperatures.

 
OUTSIDE MY WINDOW & THE WEATHER OUTSIDE

Already too warm for me today and with a dew point and humidity it looks like it’s going to be a VERY warm week with high humidity and we have a fairly high threat of thunderstorms EVERY day!

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE

Ensure clear (berry flavored) and coffee

AS I LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE

I see plenty to do, but it will mostly wait until tomorrow.

WEEKLY TO DO LIST & HOUSE PROJECTS

  • LAUNDRYjust a couple loads
  • LIVING AREASmostly tidy, but need to do floors
  • KITCHENquite clean, but I plan to make a mess soon.  I’m such a messy cook as I inventBUT, I also need to finish  the granite countertops.
  • STUDIOI did a DEEP clean yesterday, now on to making messes as I begin some Christmas cards
  • YARDA little pruning and deadheading of some old blooms and putting up the shade cloth if the weather permits
  • BLOGsome recipe updating and planing for future posts.  I’m even thinking ahead to BLOGMAS 2017

CURRENTLY READING & TELEVISION / DVR

We are just watching some Netflix shows and waiting for the summer season to kick in.  At least America’s got talent starts tomorrow night.

Still trying to finish the Ava Miles Dare River 5 book series. I’m on book 4, The Promise of Rainbows.

CRAFTS / PROJECTS

I need to get busy deciding on bindings, but I have yet to find the box with the rest of the material yet. At least these are ready for their bindings. I’m also still looking for the box with the ones that need to be finished pieced.

MENU PLANS FOR THE WEEK

There were a few recipes I didn’t get around to last week so have added them to this week’s recipe list.

 

 
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
BREAKFAST
FRUIT & COFFEE
SCRAMBLED EGGS
FRUIT SMOOTHIE
FRUIT & COFFEE
SCRAMBLED EGGS
QUICHE LORRAINE
BACON & EGGS
LUNCH
FRUIT & CHEESE
SOUP
MEAT ROLL-UPS
SALAD
MEAT & CHEESE
C.O.R.N.
??
DINNER
STEAK on the GRILL with BBQ BEANS and CORN on the COB
PECAN CHICKEN with MAPLE CREAM SAUCE from LYNN’S PARADISE CAFE
COGNAC BRINED PORK TENDERLOIN with GINGER SNAP JUS and SALAD from KRAZY KAT’S RESTAURANT in Delaware
C.O.R.N.
PIONEER BEAN DINNER and CORN BREAD
WILTED SPINACH SALAD with GRILLED CHICKEN
C.O.R.N.
DESSERT
             

SUCCESSFUL RECIPE LINKS FROM LAST WEEK

HEALTH & BEAUTY TIPS

I drink a cup every night before bed. I figure it can’t hurt.

HOMEMAKING/COOKING TIP

ON MY MIND

We are still in a holding pattern on being able to move forward on this.  We do appreciate your continued prayers and support as we go through this mess.

FAVORITE PHOTO FROM THE CAMERA

Whiskey our almost 15 year old lab is starting to have mobility issues, but she is still the MOST adorable pup I’ve ever had.  Lately she’s been laying wherever she can to use shelves and such as resting places.

INSPIRATION

Be sure to link up with Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom for Happy homemaker Monday and with Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie for Menu Plan Monday.

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MEMORIAL DAY STEAK MARINADE

Remember why we celebrate this weekend.
It is NOT for the Monday off, , it’s NOT national BBQ day, it’s NOT for sales and so forth.
It IS for the veterans who gave their ALL for you to live a better and free life.

Have a safe and happy memorial weekend, but remember to thank a VETERAN.

Do NOT forget Memorial Day is ACTUALLY May 30th, not the Monday you are off, so think about it and thank that veteran on the actual day also when their sacrifices are most prevalent in their minds.

 

Here at our house, Memorial Day is a somber occasion after all the years hubby spent in the military, but we DO BBQ too. This is my go to steak marinade or marinade for ANYTHING going on the grill.

STEAK MARINADE
1/3 cup BRAGG’S liquid aminos
1/2 cup avocado oil
Juice of 2 large lemons
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 tablespoons fresh dried basil
2 tablespoons dried parsley
1 tablespoon Frank’s Original red pepper sauce
1 clove black garlic

  • Combine everything in a small food processor or bullet, blending until well mixed.
  • Pour mixture over meat, turning to coat.
  • Marinade 8-24 hours.
  • Drain off marinade.
  • Grill and Enjoy!

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Is recipe delivery service for you?

I have tried the home delivery services Blue Apron, Home Chef and Hello Fresh. All three offer plans based on family size and have their own merits and setbacks.  For the working mom with little time to shop, these are phenomenal services. For me since I already scratch cook and love to grocery shop they were good, but not mandatory avenues of cooking. I thought I’d tell you about my experiences with each and let you decide for yourself. Price wise they are quite comparable to doing your own shopping if you calculate in your time, gas and such.  It is nice to have them prepackaged and show up right at the front door.

The above picture for Fontina Stuffed Pork Chops with Sweet Pepper Sauce was one of our most favorite recipes (which I have reworked to my methods and hubbies taste likes) from Blue Apron.

BLUE APRONPROS


  • Good delivery service and food packaging.
  • Well packed fresh ingredients. 
  • Well written recipes with easy to follow directions.
  • Great customer service.

BLUE APRON CONS

  • I honestly couldn’t find any down sides other than the fact that the recipes were either truly inspired or really pedestrian and choosing 3 recipes each week to challenge our palette was difficult some weeks.

HOME CHEF – PROS

  • Good delivery service and food packaging.
  • Well packed fresh ingredients. 
  • Well written recipes with easy to follow directions.
  • Great customer service.
  • Nice binder to organize your recipes.

HOME CHEF – CONS

  • Delivery is later with this service and tended to mess with my schedule, but that might be because I’m at the end of the delivery route.

HELLO FRESH – PROS

  • Good delivery service and superior food packaging for a really fresh delivery.
  • Well written recipes with easy to follow directions. 
  • Great customer service.

HELLO FRESH – CONS

  • A bit more expensive, but with quality food and recipes making it worth the while.

After trying all three services I have learned to sign in each week and scrutinize the menus before signing up for any particular week.  I do like that all three offer menus 4-5 weeks in advance so you have plenty of notice to make your decisions.

 

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RANTS, RAVES, & THE PURSUIT of a KINDER WAY of LIFE

This is a re-post of a post from almost exactly 6 years ago.  Ironically, it is even more true today!

Life is busy these days, real busy, but there are a few things I still notice.  We are all overworked, over stimulated and over tired!  I seem to notice less and less quality in everything around me whether it’s sitting down to dinner as a family or the quality of the products that sit on my kitchen counter.
 
My brother and I had a conversation not too long ago about the pursuit of the iconic TV 50’s way of life – you know, slower and kinder.  Now you need to know that my brother and I, at times, are as far apart on the political spectrum as 2 siblings can be.  We’re close, but there are many a subject that we have an agreement to agree to disagree on and move on to another topic.  He pointed out that the 50’s that many seem to want to return to is nothing but a TV iconic way of life.  I beg to disagree though.  Now I wasn’t alive in the 50’s, but it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that life in general was kinder, slower and calmer and MUCH less stressful.  This is one of those spots that I would go off on a rant about.  You see, I believe that stress is a catalyst of much of what ails us today, specifically cancer.  But, that is a story for another post.
 
If you were to watch say the Donna Reed Show, Father Knows Best, Happy Days or Leave it to Beaver, you would see homemakers vacuuming in high heels and pearls or maybe cleaning the refrigerator.  Husbands would be in ties and coats or at least a sport shirt and loafers.  Now while I don’t think things need to return to that formal, I do expect guys to pull up their pants.  I don’t want to see their butts.  In my era, the only butt to see was in a pair of tight jeans – where you had to use your imagination and fantasize. WOW that made me sound old, but I’m not really, just tired of seeing ugly underwear hanging out of over sized pants that are falling off some guy’s butt.  Many women aren’t much better though.  No one wants to see rolls of fat hanging out of a midriff top and low cut jeans – both of which are things for teen girls, not overweight 20, 30, 40, 50 somethings or even overweight teens.  Get the picture here – fat is not something to show off, but something to lose and hide while you’re doing it!
 
Another thing you saw more of in the past was Common Courtesy.  I find this ironic since we seem to need it more now, but it appears to be non-existent many times.  Whether it’s driving on the freeway or driving basket at the supermarket, common courtesy seems to always be in the backseat.  When I was a kid, I was taught to ‘drive’ my basket at the supermarket the same way you would a car on a 2 lane road – stay to the right, park off the pavement and use your signals.  More and more I notice at the supermarket that people leave their baskets in the middle of the aisle while they are roaming up and down looking at various things.  While I commend the label reading, how hard is it to park your cart off to the side and out of the way?  Interestingly enough, if there is no one around and I go to move the basket aside so I can pass, someone always magically appears and is miffed that “their” basket is being moved.  Well excuse me! The sense of entitlement and the self righteous (and unearned I might add) indignation is way too over the top.
On this same subject we all know that pedestrians have the right of way.  But don’t they also have a responsibility to NOT just walk willy nilly and blindly out into traffic?  What happened to looking both ways before entering a street?
Okay, I will get off my soap box now and return you to your regularly scheduled blog hopping.

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DECISIONS, DECISIONS, DECISIONS & yet we still had to have dinner ~ CHICKEN & DRESSING with CREAM OF CARROT BISQUE

I worked for quite awhile in the studio today and ran across several unfinished projects that NEED to be finished!  Binding for some reason is my least favorite part of quilting though it should be my most favorite since it is the last step to a completed project.  I’m still trying to figure out where to start!  I’m leaning towards starting with the smaller pieces just because there will be a bigger sense of accomplishment as I whip them out, but am leaning towards the larger ones so I can set them aside into the Christmas pile as completed presents.

In the meanwhile we still needed to eat so I reworked a couple of recipes from my “TO TRY” pile that used ingredients I had on hand.  It’s almost June 1st and I try to clean out both the freezer and pantry every 6 months or so.

CHICKEN & DRESSING serves 6

2-3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
4 slices crusty french bread, torn into pieces
3 cups crumbled cornbread
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 small Vidalia onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped small
2 large eggs, beaten
Fresh ground sea salt, to taste
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup butter, sliced thin

  • Put butter slices in freezer while you assemble the casserole.
  • In a large mixing bowl whisk together the broth, eggs and soup.
  • Fold in breads.
  • Fold in celery, onion and chicken pieces.
  • Season with salt and pepper.
  • Transfer to a lightly greased 3 quart slow cooker.
  • Dot with butter slices.
  • Cook on high 1 1/2 hours and then low 2-3 hours on low OR 3-4 hours on high.

CREAM OF CARROT BISQUE serves 4

1 pound bag baby carrots, washed and dried
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1 small Vidalia onion, chopped
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
Pinch of ground ginger
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
Parmesan cheese
Snap peas

  • Preheat oven to 400˚.
  • In a large ziplock bag add the carrots, avocado oil, sugar, salt and pepper. Close and toss until carrots are well coated.
  • Spread carrots in a thin layer on a baking sheet.
  • Roast carrots 45 minutes or until tender.
  • Cool carrots.
  • In a large sauce pan melt butter,
  • Add onion and saute’ until tender.
  • Add broth and simmer while carrots roast.
  • Add carrots and puree with an immersion blender.
  • Salt and pepper to taste.
  • Serve with Parmesan crisps and chopped snap peas.

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