Easy recipe · Lunch

Bumping Up the Tuna Sandwich

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If the words, Tuna Sandwich make you think of a dry, boring lunch, I want to introduce you to this version that I began making recently.

This flavorful version of Tuna fish is full of crunchy goodness, but is also light on calories! It only requires a little mayo to help hold it together! The choice of bread is key, but the addition of the cheddar cheese and tomato slice help bump up this sandwich that gets as bad a rap as canned asparagus. Here’s the simple recipe we’ve been loving…

INGREDIENTS – Makes 2 sandwiches

  • 1 packet of tuna (in water), drained
  • 2 Tbl carrots, minced
  • 2 Tbl minced celery
  • 1 tbsp red onion, minced
  • 1 tbsp light mayonnaise
  • 1 tsp red wine vinegar
  • salt and pepper
  • Bread of your choice – I used a light bagel – You could also do this open-faced with only one slice of bread
  • 2 slices 2% reduced fat cheddar or American cheese
  • 2 slices tomato
  • Cooking spray

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Combine tuna, celery, carrots, onion, mayonnaise, vinegar, salt and pepper.
  • Heat a large skillet over low heat.
  • Spray skillet with oil, and place sandwich on top.
  • Top bread with cheese, then tuna salad and tomato. Cook on low heat until cheese melts and bread gets toasty.
  • Serve immediately.

You will not miss the normal heavy mayo in this sandwich. It’s perfect as is! Using a special bread like these bagels makes it taste really indulgent, so I would definitely check your Aldi for these! Toasting the sandwich makes it perfect for a fall or winter lunch!

Don’t settle for a plain tuna sandwich in the future! These simple ingredients will add the pizzazz your lunch time routine needs!

Need other lunch menu suggestions? Check here and here and here for other ideas!

Refresh your lunch!

A Conspicuous Marriage
gratitude · Refreshment in marriage

A Conspicuous Marriage

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Conspicuous
[kuh n-spik-yoo-uh s] 

adjective
1. easily seen or noticed; readily visible or observable:
a conspicuous error.
2. attracting special attention, as by outstanding qualities or eccentricities:

In Philippians 1:20, 21 Paul wrote –

For me to live is Christ.   

Paul lived out his love for the Lord in a way that was conspicuous.  It was noticeable.  

I’ve been dwelling on how I might be more conspicuous in my love for my Savior.  Our love for Him connects to everything we do and every relationship that we share.  Is Christ’s love conspicuous in every area of my life?  

Today I’ve been wondering specifically how conspicuous my Christ-like love is displayed to my husband.  If God gave him to me, shouldn’t I be demonstrating Christ’s love in my marriage?  Of course!  But if we’re honest, our husband is often swept up into the dustpan like the crumbs from last night’s dinner.  All neatly  place out of our way, we can now storm proceed to the next thing or person on our list.  

“I fixed him dinner!” we might cry.  Or we may wrongfully assume, “He’s watching football – he doesn’t need me!”  But if we desire to show Christ-like love, we need to be conspicuous about it. Whether or not he knows  you love and respect him, you need to be saying it and demonstrating it in a way that it is also obvious to others that are watching you.  And oh, others are watching – especially if you have children!  They are listening when you think they don’t hear your response to their daddy. They are watching when you think they are absorbed in  play, and they are learning from your example.  That can be a scary thought, or it can be a good reminder – it really all just depends on how conspicuous your love and respect are being demonstrated to that guy you married.  Think back to before you were dating; remember how your heart skipped a beat when you knew he was near…even in the same building?!  Perhaps you tried to be inconspicuous about your feelings at that time, but now you can, no should make it obvious that you’re crazy about him!

Find a way today to make your love for your husband “easily seen and noticed!”  Pick an idea below and let your love and respect “attract some special attention!” 

  • Draw a Love and Respect Tree on a mirror using dry erase markers.  Add leaves (made out of scrapbooking paper) each day with reasons written on them why you respect and love your husband.
  • Write him a Thanksgiving card and send it in the mail telling him why you love him, then send it to his workplace.
  • Buy him his favorite treat ~ just because ~ and present it to him as a small token of your love.
  • Tell him thank you for the little things he does.  Does he lock the doors at night, take out the trash, make your morning coffee, open the car door for you, bring home a pay check, pick up his dirty clothes? Find something and say “thank you” eyeball to eyeball. End it with “I respect you for that!”
  • Be demonstrative of your affection.  Hold his hand or arm, give him a wink from across the table, and for sure, give an affectionate kiss when one of you leaves home!
  • Spoil him.  Give him the first, the biggest, the best of whatever.  In the south we call that “specializing” on him!

  The love of Christ should manifest itself in your marriage in such a way that no one could miss that fact that you two are still in love!     What will you do today to make your love for your husband conspicuous?

In case you didn’t know, I sure love this man!

P.S. Don’t have any expectations about his response.  Just do it because you love Christ.  

Be conspicuously in love,

If you need some help preparing for Thanksgiving, go here for favorite Thanksgiving recipes, and here for what to do ahead of time.

gratitude

A Simple Formula for a Thank You Note

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Forty years later I still remember my guilt at realizing months after I got married that I had forgotten to write a thank you note for a belated wedding gift. Sadly, my embarrassment kept me from writing. I’ve since learned that a late note is better than none at all! It dawned on me this week that I had not written a note to a sweet friend who had given us a gracious gift. While I know she loves me enough not to judge me for my neglect, I quickly wrote the note to remedy my lazy gratitude.

We’ve all been guilty, I’m sure, of neglecting to write a thank you note after receiving a gift. Perhaps it’s busyness or forgetfulness or perhaps it’s a third area to blame – “What do I say?” If you haven’t asked that question, I bet your child has! There are really only three components needed for a thank you note to do its job.

  1. Say thank you for the gift That would include gratitude for remembering the occasion for which it was given. “It was so sweet of you to send the bouquet of flowers. That made my birthday so special!”
  2. Say what you will do with the gift or why you appreciated it. “The slippers will be so cozy in the upcoming cold temperatures!”
  3. Say something about the person who sent the gift. “I’m so glad the Lord gave me such a dear friend in my sister!”

Those three components will make the recipient know:you received the gift (if it was sent), you loved the gift, and that you appreciate them.

Gratitude accomplished!!

Have you ever realized you forgot to write a thank you note? Did you send a late one or none at all?

main dish · soup

Chicken Gnocchi Soup

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Though we haven’t really had much cold weather yet, I’ve already started with the warm and inviting soups.  We love them!

I found a copycat recipe for an Olive Garden Soup on Pinterest for Chicken Gnocchi.  Y.U.M.
Gnocchi (is that singular or plural?) is are little potato pastas that are so wonderfully good!  You can make your own, or find them where the pasta is sold.  This is a really filling soup!

Chicken Gnocchi – From Cooking.com


3-4 chicken breasts, cooked and diced
4 cups chicken stock
2 cups half-and-half
1 stalk celery, diced
1 garlic clove, chopped
1/2 carrot, shredded
1/2 onion, diced
1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon thyme
salt and pepper
16 ounces potato gnocchi
1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional)

Directions:

Saute the onion, celery, garlic, carrot in oil over medium heat until onion is translucent.
Add chicken, chicken stock, half and half, salt and pepper, thyme. Heat to boiling, then add gnocchi. Gently boil for 4 minutes, then turn down to a simmer for 10 minutes.
Add spinach and cook for another 1-2 minutes until spinach is wilted.
(Heat to boiling and add cornstarch dissolved in 1-2 Tbsp water at this point if you want a thicker soup.).
Ladle into bowls and serve

This is so satisfying on a cold day!

What’s your favorite fall soup?

With love from my country kitchen,

Let Others Be Glad When They See Me!
Hope

Let Others Be Glad When They See Me!

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I am very much a visual learner. To really understand something it helps me to see an illustration. The Lord so often teaches me His Word by giving me a visual aid. I clearly remember one illustration the Lord gave me in a hospital room.

My husband and I went to see a dear friend and church member who had been hospitalized again. She had been battling an illness for months and it landed her in the hospital several times. When we got to her room, it was obvious that she was completely worn out from her sickness. Her breathing was difficult, being interrupted by a deep and debilitating cough. We slipped in to leave flowers and have prayer with her, asking her not to try to speak. However, even though it was somewhat difficult, she told us of God’s sustaining grace during this difficult time. She told us of answered prayers that she’s seen while ill and of the Word of God that has come to her mind in the late night watches that she thought she’d forgotten. She also shared the desire to hide more of God’s Word in her heart for times such as these. It was hard to see her like this, yet she was a blessing to my heart.

The blessing came as I stood by her bedside and was reminded of the psalm that I had prayed earlier in the day. It was Psalm 119:74 –

They that fear thee will be glad when they see me; because I have hoped in thy word.

I did indeed have reason to be glad because I saw her hope (confidence) in God’s Word! How beautifully was she illustrating this truth before my eyes!

When you and I go through hard times in the future, whether it’s illness, the death of a loved one, or some other trial, will we make others that love the Lord glad when they see us because they see we are trusting in God’s Word? Or will they instead be grieved because we’re falling apart? There’s only one way to really be able to answer that question positively, and that is by preparing now for those hard times. How do we do that? By studying, meditating, and memorizing God’s Word. We may be in a situation where we can’t pick up the Bible and read it. Do we have enough tucked away in our hearts to sustain us?

I was also recently reminded by Whitney that we should also make other people glad when they see us through means of our social media posts. Are we always complaining? Are we full of fear? Is our life only revealing negativity because we aren’t truly clinging to the hope we have in Christ and His Word? I’m guilty.

Psalm 119:74 is such a good reminder to ask the Lord to help us make other people glad that they bumped into us today!

I was so glad I got to see my friend trusting her God, spite the difficulty. Will others get a visual picture of Psalm 119:74 and be glad when they see you today??

Let’s refresh others by our strong confidence in our great God!