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What’s Cookin’ in the Parsonage?

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Thank heaven for the Internet and recipe reviews!  They can pretty much ensure that the recipe that “sounds good” or “looks pretty” will actually be worth eating!  I shared with you here, the fiasco I had as a new wife when the recipe for Lasagna broccoli Roll-ups was a complete failure!  If I had had the luxury back then of a review of my recipe, I might not have had the disaster all those years ago! 

When I told my husband Saturday night that we were having Sausage Lasagna Roll-ups, I’m sure his stomach heart grew a bit weak!  However, he didn’t know that the review on-line was a 5 star one!  Yes, technology changes lots of things – even cooking!  I was pleasantly surprised at how delicious this recipe really was!  It’s a nice change from regular lasagna, and when cooking for just a small number, it’s nice not having a whole pan of pasta leftover.  This recipe can be completely made ahead of time – it would even freeze well before baking.  I just put it in the oven before church and used the Time Bake feature.  It was perfect when we got home.

My menu for yesterday was:
Pepperoni Lasagna Roll-ups
Citrus Tossed Salad
French Bread
 Pumpkin Crunch Cake
Pepperoni Italian Sausage Lasagna Roll-ups –
Here’s the recipe with my changes marked with *


Ingredients

•3 lasagna noodles – *I used 4

•3/4 cup ricotta cheese – *1 Cup cottage cheese

•1/2 teaspoon minced chives

•1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

•1/2 teaspoon dried basil

•24 slices pepperoni – *1/2 lb. Sweet Italian turkey sausage, cooked and crumbled

•3 slices Swiss cheese, cut into thirds – *Mozzarella Cheese

•1 cup meatless spaghetti sauce

•1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions

•Cook noodles according to package directions; drain. Combine the ricotta cheese, chives, oregano and basil; spread 1/4 cup over each noodle to within 1/2 in. of edges. Top with pepperoni and Swiss cheese; carefully roll up.

• Place seam side down in a greased shallow 1-qt. baking dish; top with spaghetti sauce. Cover and bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly.

• Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Yield: 3 servings.

Citrus Tossed Salad – (Taste of Home) This was really good!

Torn greens
Mandarin Orange
apple, chopped
pecans, toasted

Dressing:
1/2 C unsweetened apple juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 T sugar
1 T olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon – The cinnamon won’t incorporate very well into the dressing, but don’t worry, it will splash onto the apples and make them yummy!

Combine the greens, fruits and pecans on salad plates.  Drizzle with dressing just before serving.

I must confess that the dessert was made by a friend at church who is a terrific cook!  I looked on-line and found this recipe. . .it has to be the same thing!  Oh, my goodness!  Pumpkin pie will take a back seat with this dessert around!

Pumpkin Crunch Cake
14 ounce(s) can evaporated milk

1 cup(s) chopped walnuts

3 eggs

1 cup(s) melted margarine

4 teaspoon(s) pumpkin pie spice

1 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt

15 ounce(s) solid pumpkin

1 1/2 cup(s) sugar

1 box(es) yellow cake mix

Preparation

Mix first 6 ingredients by hand.

Pour into greased 9 x 13 inch pan.

Sprinkle dry cake mix (entire box) over mixture, sprinkle nuts on top. Pour melted butter over dry cake mix.


Bake at 350 for 45-55 minutes (until it looks solid and nuts are browning).

Did you have any successes – or even failures at good attempts in your kitchen this week?


From my parsonage kitchen,

tongue

My Own Denial of Christ

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It was early morning, and I had just finished having a sweet time listening to Scripture on my phone as I prepared for the day.  What a blessing to hear Christ explain to His disciples in Matthew 26 what was going to happen to Him in the near future. I listened to the Scripture telling about when Peter cut off the servant’s ear.  Jesus told Peter to put away his sword, that He was laying down His life willingly. I listened as Jesus said that Peter would deny Him.  In my heart I wondered how he could do that after being with Christ.  I mean, didn’t Peter know he was sinning against the One who was getting ready to die for him?



Statue of Peter’s denial of Christ

I slipped out of my room, a song of thankfulness in my heart for all Christ did for me in those agonizing hours on the cross.  Now down at the lovely breakfast the hotel provided, I was carrying my plate to my seat, when I bumped into someone I hadn’t seen in a long time.  I held my breath as I approached her, smiling.  I said hello, then held my breath as she, consistent to every time we meet, made a stinging remark to me about my stature.  I muttered a negative remark about myself (not sure why I feel obligated to add misery to misery), then found my way to my breakfast table.  Now I had two meals to eat – my breakfast, and her! 

“Why does she always feel she has the right to make disparaging remarks about my size?”  Then in my mind I thought of all the smart remarks I could have said, should have said, and might say the next time we meet.  I even felt justified in my thinking!

Breakfast being finished, I returned to my room and its quietness, except for the voice that was whispering in my heart.  It was the Spirit of God, showing me how that, like Peter,  I, too, had just wielded the sword.  It was His voice also reminding me of Peter’s denial, and of my own.  Yes, my sinful thoughts, though unspoken, had dealt a fierce blow.  They had also denied Christ.  “I don’t know Him!  I don’t know the One who designed me!  I don’t know the One who is my Justifier, my Defender, my Father, who knows when I’ve been hurt!  I have to take care of this myself.” Wham!  In simply thinking the thoughts towards the offending lady, I was denying my Savior Who died for her…Who died for me.

Bowing on my knees at the desk chair, I was able to confess my sin.  I cried out for God to set a watch before my lips and keep the door of my mouth (Psalm 141:3).  I prayed for her, my sister in Christ…something I don’t think I’d done in the previous times we’d met and exchanged words.  I prayed that the Lord would keep my tongue and my thoughts from sinning against Him and also denying Him.  I must learn to put the sword back in its place…and also my wicked thoughts.

Thankful for Calvary’s love,

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What God Can Do

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She had been single for seventy years when the Lord brought into her life a man she’d known many decades before.  He had been widowed and was now alone.  She had been serving the Lord on the mission field all her adult life, and that is where he found her again.  They dated and then were married within a year.  They have now been married and serving the Lord together for the last four years!

This was the sweet testimony that I heard yesterday from the lips of the “newlywed bride.”  What a sweet story, huh?  It was also a sober reminder of how important it is that we keep a right attitude about our current situation in life.  What if this dear lady had gotten bitter towards God for allowing her to be single all those years?  Her future husband, who needed a woman to stand alongside him in his ministry, would not have chosen her to be his wife!  But that, of course, was not the case.  She had been faithful and trusting in the perfect will of her Father…for about 50 years!

What longing do you have that seems like it will never be fulfilled? 

  • Marriage?
  • Children?
  • Ministry opportunity?
  • Health?
  • Salvation of a  family member?

Our God is not limited by time.  He is eternal.  Keep a contented heart.  Keep a sweet spirit.  Keep serving Him – whether or not He does what you think He should do and in the time you think He should do it.  You and I don’t know what wonderful things He has planned for us in His time.

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
Ephesians 3:20, 21

With love,

Marriage

A Peek Inside the Parsonage

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I have a new office for a couple of days.  I’m in Atlanta kind of “chilling” while my  husband attends board meetings for the Fundamental Baptist Fellowship.  I attended the first part of their business meeting last night, then was graciously excused by my husband.  No offense, but while I’m all for contending for the faith, their gatherings could use some excitement…you know, like fancy edged scissors, glitter and scrap booking paper.  How pretty the men’s folders containing their minutes and agenda would be if the wives could get their crafty hands on them for an hour or two!  I doubt that’s going to happen.  Anyway, while he was in there having the next session and discussing tons of words that end in “i-s-m,” I found my way back to our room to blog,  rest, and get refreshed. Ahhh….

I am so grateful to be able to attend these meetings with him, now that we have an empty nest.  While I was homeschooling, I stayed home during these times to “hold the fort down” and, of course, keep school going.   Even though I have very little to contribute to his time here, it’s just a blessing that we can be together on the drive down, during meals and at night.  We missed Valentine’s Day because of this scheduled event, but that’s really okay.  As I stated in my Facebook status last night, though this was an unusual Valentine’s Day for us, this is the essence of what love is all about – just being together and enjoying the the mere presence of one another. If that sounds corny or boring, you don’t know Dale Cunningham!  It’s true.  We love each other and we love being together. 

You know what’s really funny to me?  People often tease us saying, “I wish you guys acted like you love each other!”  The thing that prompts those remarks is that we sit close.  We hold hands.  He puts his arm around me.  We talk.  We whisper and laugh. We have tons of fun just being us. I don’t believe we ever act in a way that’s inappropriate, but I guess it’s just different from many couples that are married for 30 years.  Boy, I feel sorry for others that think we’re strange.  We just like being together.  That’s why we got married!  =)  Yep.  We have tons of fun as a couple.  And that’s what it’s like inside our parsonage. Fun. 

Do you need to bump up the “fun” level in your marriage?  Don’t wait until next Valentine’s Day!  Look for a fun element to add to your lives – even if it’s just sitting close.  Life is too short not to enjoy the blessings God gives, and that includes marriage. 

With a thankful heart,