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What’s Cookin’ in the Parsonage?

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Cozy lamp lights are brightening the corners of the counters.  Canisters of flour, sugar, tea and coffees stand at attention, some of their lidded hats cock-eyed from recent use.  The pantry has shelves as heavy as tree branches after a wet winter snow laden with spices, canned goods, pastas and breads.  Eggs, cheeses, jams, butter and creamy milks are chilling in the refrigerator.  This kitchen  is the hub of family life.   You see, cooking is more than just getting food ready for a meal.  It not only sustains life, it is life.  It turns a homecoming, a birthday, a guest’s invitation into an event.  Cooking is making enticing aromas waft upwards, drawing the occupants of your home to the real living room ~ the kitchen.  This is the room where life really happens in a family. 

It’s my desire to create that kind of atmosphere for those that are in my home, whether they’re family or  guests passing through.  Good food draws people in.  The reason I started What’s Cooking in the Parsonage was inspire other cooks to prepare good meals for their families ~ and to invite you into my  home to see and enjoy with us~not just the meals that we share, but also the events that take place around our little oak table. 

One such event was my husband’s recent homecoming.  He had the privilege of attending a Prayer Advance last Thursday through Saturday.  I missed him terribly (It was only 3 days, I know…I’m pathetic), but it sure made me happy to have him return home!  He got here in time for supper~perfect timing!  I set the table with candlelight, using a beautiful chandelier he bought for me for Valentine’s Day a couple years ago.  I tried a new recipe from Southern Plate – a great food blog!  I made her Mexican Chicken Casserole,

 fruit salad, homemade French Bread,

 and another new recipe ~ Pineapple Upside-down Cake for two from my Taste of Home Healthy Cooking Magazine.  The dessert was a reduced calorie cake that was as delicious as any “regular” recipe.  They are made in individual ramekins and turned out so cute!  I will definitely be making these again!

This next picture is a little blurry, but I had to take a close-up of the cake.  It was crispy on the edges, and had that yummy brown sugar topping…

Pineapple Upside-down Cake for Two

4 tsp, butter, melted, divided
4 tsp. brown sugar
2 canned unsweetened pineapple slices
2 maraschino cherries
1/3 Cup all-purpose flour
3 Tbl sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
Dash ground nutmeg
3 Tbl fat-free milk
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1.  Pour 1/2 tsp butter into each of two 10-oz ramekins coated with cooking spray.  Sprinkle with brown sugar.  Top with a pineapple slice.  Place a cherry in the center of each pineapple slice; set aside.
2.  In a small bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and nutmeg.  Beat in the milk, vanilla and remaining butter just until combined.  Spoon over pineapple.
3.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.  Cool for 5 minutes.  Run a knife around edges of ramekins; invert onto dessert plates.  Serve warm.

I believe my hubby was pretty happy about the meal event I created for his return.  Ooooh, a thought just struck me~would he go away again just so I’ll create another special meal?  I can fix that ~ tomorrow we’ll create a special day!  Let’s see, it’s Tuesday…  How about a meal that has food served in pairs…you know ~Two’s-Day! =) 

What have you been cooking?  Any normal events turned into something special at your place?  I’d love to hear about how you celebrated!

From my parsonage kitchen,

refreshment at home

Freshen Up Friday

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Lift your eyes up from your computer and take a look around you at the place where you are seated.  Is this a place where you love to sit?  Is it inviting?  Neat?  Organized?  Well-lit?  Beautiful?  Sometimes we need a little nudge in the right direction to get us motivated so we can de-clutter our space and make it a really special environment.  Let’s see if I can help…

Take a look at this before and after picture:



Country Living


This room went from blahh to Oooo-la-la!



Country Living


Perhaps you don’t have the time or finances to make that drastic a change at your desk.  Sometimes all it takes is some straightening, adding a pretty lamp and some special desk accessories…

Look at the clever storage ideas below, the empty frame on the desk, the creamer pencil holder …

This is a clever use of a closet!  I love this idea!



Country Living

 Even if you can’t remodel, you can straighten up and refresh your computer space by adding some pretty touches from another room.  Put a pretty throw over the back of the chair, find a lamp, picture, clock or flower arrangement in another room that would add a pretty touch, Freshen up your work space on this Friday.  You’ll feel like you have remodeled!

See you in church Sunday!

Be refreshed,

trials

Is Your Burden Heavy?

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Who will help with this work of ministry that is to be accomplished?
The weight of this sin is too much.  Who can rid me of the guilt?
I’m so burdened for my child who is not walking with God.  Who will help them?
Come unto me
How will I know what decision to make?
How will my future be provided for?
What does the future of our country hold?
I’m just so very tired of it all.  How can I go on?
all ye that labour and are heavy laden
Does anyone have the answer?
Should I just take a pill?
Would a psychiatrist help?
and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28-30
Your burdens may be many and great, but they are not too much for the Lord Jesus.  Come, be yoked up with Him; sit at His feet and learn of Him.  His yoke is not burdensome, it is grace-filled – enough for today.  Don’t borrow for tomorrow, for His grace will be sufficient for that hour when and if it comes.  He loves you.  Lay your burden down.
With love,
Family life

A Peek Inside the Parsonage

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Ever find yourself staring off into space as you think on the past?  That happened to me Monday night at Bible study.  As we listened to the dietitian talk about preparing dinner for our families, I heard her say more than once, “Make dinnertime special for your family.”  I found myself thinking back to dinnertime when our daughters were younger.  It’s a special memory to me now, not because of any remarkable thing I cooked or did, but just because it was a regular part of family life.  To have skipped family dinner would have been as unthinkable as going without a bath!  I wondered to myself, “What is it that made our family dinners special?”  Here’s what I came up with:

  • We tried to schedule it for a regular time each evening, that way everyone knew when to be home and ready.
  • We always sat at the kitchen table.  That may sound like a given, but I know some families have a “grab and go” mentality.  They grab what’s on the stove and sit wherever – in the living room, or their bedroom.  Not so at our house – we asked that everyone sit together at the table.
  • We always set the table with all the silverware – fork, knife, and spoon, plate, glass and napkin.  No matter what was being served, all the utensils were set out.  Making the table attractive with flowers or a candle in the middle at suppertime made everyone know that this was a special time together.
  • We tried to teach good table manners in a lighthearted kind of way – things like napkin in the lap, chewing with mouth closed, passing food before serving yourself.   We also taught the girls to wait until the thanks was given, and then they were to wait until I began to eat before they ate.  Then whenever we were at some one’s home as their guests, they knew to wait for our hostess to begin eating before they picked up their forks and began to eat.  Manners start at home.  =)
  • Except for lunch on Friday’s, the television was off at mealtime, that way we could talk as a family.  We tried to keep conversation going about the day’s events or other things going on in our lives.  (Here are some ideas for conversation )
  • We had fun!  Often meals were themed for Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, April Fools Day, etc.  We looked for things to celebrate!  The food was coordinated for that holiday, as well as the table settings and centerpiece.

See?  It’s not that things were so spectacular, but it was a regular part of family life that we looked forward to each day.  We were together, we shared a meal, and we made many memories at that table.  Yes, sir…those were are good times!  We still do those things, even though most of the time it’s just me and my sweet hubby at the table!  I still believe that a way to a man’s heart is through his stomach!  He is so sweet to appreciate the food and the setting, and we still go on making memories together, meal by meal.

What do you do to make mealtime memorable at your house?  Or what memories do you have from your table?

From our parsonage kitchen,

Christian Life

Worry or Worship?

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There they were dangling around the neck of our Bible study teacher like a Christmas tree decorated by a 5 year-old; many strings of plastic beads worn to represent “Worry Beads.”  What are Worry beads?  They are beads worn by islanders of a tiny island in the Aegean Sea.  The beads are worn around their necks, and the islanders finger and manipulate them all day long.  They say the beads bring comfort, that the process of handling them cuts down on anxiety.  So, last night our instructor at Bible study wore many strands of long beads to represent the worry beads, reminding us of our lesson in the book, Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World.  Our chapter was concerning Jesus’ words to Martha, “You are careful and troubled about many things.”

Martha, the doer, the proud, sufficient, take charge kind of spirit was troubled, worried, anxious. She knew she could handle this meal – this was very possible, but the thing that troubled her was Mary.  We were reminded last night that Martha’s removal of her presence from the Lord is probably her first problem.  She was in the kitchen where she worked and worried; He was in the living room where Mary worshiped.  Isn’t that when our trouble comes?  It comes when we are removed from where we should be.  Oh, that our hearts would cry out, Draw me nearer, draw me nearer, precious Lord.  Draw me nearer to your side.  The sweet Lord Jesus has prepared a feast for us from His Word, but we must draw near each day to eat from His table.  Are we in another room fingering our worry beads instead of worshiping Him and laying our cares at our His feet as Mary did?

Worry beads won’t cut it, only worship will.  Which will we choose today?

With love,