main dish

What’s Cookin’ in the Parsonage?

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We weren’t in the parsonage this weekend, but I had the blessing of having Sunday dinner in my sister, Sharee’s home yesterday!  My husband and I got to go to Kentucky where we attended church with my parents, then had dinner with  Sharee afterwards (while her poor hubby was at work missing out!).  The meal was so good, and served in a lovely way, but the best thing was sitting around the table in the comfy chairs talking and laughing for a nice long while.  Family times – they’re rare…and precious!

Sharee found a new lasagna recipe a couple of years ago that is now her favorite.  It came from Southern Living (their recipes are always keepers!).  It was delicious. 

One thing I like about being in someone else’s kitchen is learning about new/different products. She served a tossed salad and offered a Balsamic Vinaigrette by Ken’s that I am going to have to look for; it was a nice change from the creamy dressings I usually have on hand. 

Her menu:

Tossed Salad
Rolls
Peppermint Ice Cream with Chocolate Sauce
Lovely and so good!!!
Sharee told me that one time-saving method in this lasagna recipe is the way they tell you to cook the noodles; you pour boiling water over the noodles that are in a 9×13 pan and let them set for 15 minutes.  How easy is that?!  She also likes the recipe better using small curd cottage cheese instead of the ricotta cheese that it calls for.  This was really good lasagna.  If you need a little boost to your old standard recipe, this would be a great replacement!
Thanks, Sharee, for a great recipe and a wonderful, relaxing afternoon!
What was cooking in your kitchen this week?
With love,

Home decor

Freshen Up Friday

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Think for a moment about what the entryway to your house looks like right now.  I don’t mean “the company door” that’s seldom used, but the door you and your family frequent when you return home.  Is it the door off the garage?  A side or back door that no one but your family uses?  At our house, we have a door that opens up from our bedroom onto the driveway. We use that door most because of its easy access and good lighting. I realized the other day that it could use some sprucing up. 

It’s easy to pop a pretty wreath onto the front door, but neglect the door that’s probably used more than any other – the one that welcomes your family home every single day.  On this Friday, why not step out there and take a look around and then take a few minutes to freshen it up. 

  • Have the fall leaves been swept away? 
  • Do you need a new welcome mat?  After all the most important people in the world come through that door!
  • Have you placed a Christmas wreath on that door?
  • Does that glass need a good cleaning?
  • Can you add a decorative touch that will show your family you care – or just make you smile when you arrive home?
  • If the door is in the garage, is there clutter around the door that needs to be pitched addressed?

Here are a few pics of what I did to our side entryway yesterday…



It’s a little hard to see because the sun was shining so beautifully, but I hung a Christmas decoration on the door with a little sign included that says, “Home sweet home”.




I added my old milk delivery box with some greenery, pine cones, bow, and a yard lantern
that will glow and give us a little light for entry at nighttime.




Here’s a closer look at the milk box.

So, what will you do to freshen up your entryway?

See you in church!

Be refreshed,

Family life

A Peek Inside the Parsonage

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When I was growing up I had a Santa mug similar to the mug pictured on the right.  It was so special when it was brought out, because it meant it was Christmastime!  I enjoyed my milk or hot chocolate every day in my special mug. 
I carried that tradition to my own family.  We have special Christmas mugs that belonged to each of us. You didn’t dare drink your coffee out of the “wrong” mug in the morning!  =)   We also had Christmas plates and bowls that we used throughout December. 
The tradition of dishes at holidays wasn’t restricted only to Christmas.  The girls also had Brambley Hedge dishes that their Nana got them that they always used on their birthdays.



Summer for Allison’s August birthday





and my favorite – Autumn for Whitney’s September birthday. 
(I keep forgetting to give this to her, but I will some day!  It just looks so cute in my fall display!)

I even have plates with a heart in the middle that my husband and I use in February for Valentine’s Day!

Dishes are a great way to make family traditions and create special memories.  Use the same bowl for Family popcorn night, a special turkey platter at Thanksgiving and Christmas, or a snowman tray for Christmas cookies Those dishes will build treasured memories that will stay in the hearts of your family longer than the Christmas gifts lasted.  Those pieces of ceramic or china will be something they can pass down to their children – if not in a tangible way, at least in their hearts.

Do you have dishes that carry a special memory for you?

From inside my parsonage windows,

hospitality

Christmas Hospitality

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Last years’ tree

Is it “beginning to look a lot like Christmas” at your house?  I don’t have my tree up yet, but I did get out all my other decorations.  Taking a look around my home I see greenery, white lights, pine cones, bows, wreaths, nativity sets, snow globes, snowmen, candles, berries, stockings, and small trees.  Our houses get “decked” out at this time of year, don’t they?  What better time than Christmas to invite folks over?  Need a couple reasons why?  Read on…
1. When you’ve gone to so much trouble to get everything sparkling and gleaming with decorations, you’ve already taken care of getting the house ready for guests!


2.  There are usually enough snacks and treats in our kitchens to fill the neighborhood – so go ahead – fill the neighborhood!  Invite your neighbors over! 


The Lord brought this idea to my mind yesterday.  We’re going to pass out invitations to our neighbors for a drop-in party. I’ll serve cookies and punch and we’ll have the opportunity to have them in our home and share the love of Christ.


3.  Christmas is the perfect time to share the Gospel.  When you have guests in your home and you’re in your own surroundings, it will be easier for opportunities to share the Gospel to open up! 


4.  We are commanded in Scripture to be hospitable. Hebrews 13:2


I’ve been studying the second chapter of James, and the last half of the chapter goes into deep discussion about how faith without works is DEAD.  Yep.  It’s as lifeless as my stuffed snowmen.  “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”  James 2:26  One of the best ways to show our faith is to be hospitable to others. Verse 15-17 says,  If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.


Since we are alive in Christ, we need to show it through our works, and hospitality is a wonderful way in which we can do that.  Here are some great links for clever get-togethers at Christmas.  These are fun and creative!  This link has ideas like “Ugly Christmas Sweater party” or a Gift-Wrapping party.  How fun that would be! Don’t keep it easy and invite only your close friends and family – invite new people at church, your neighbors, or lost co-workers. 


Want to be like Abraham, who was called The Friend of God?  Demonstrate your faith to others.  Be hospitable today. Watch the blessings that come from it tomorrow.


With love,




main dish

What’s Cookin’ in the Parsonage?

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The best thing cooking at the parsonage yesterday was sweet fellowship and warm memories!  We had the blessing of having dear friends visit us; The Blevins, from our ministry in Indiana!  Being with them and reminiscing made me even more excited about heaven!  Think of all the, “Remember when God did…?” that we will share with one another!  There will be no time constraint, either!  Wow!  We had a great time with our friends talking about blessings of salvations, growth and what God is doing now. it made me realize once again the fruit that comes from sharing the Gospel. It was wonderful!  How blessed we are that they made coming to see us a part of their vacation!  Please come back, Blevins’!

We got to have them in our home for dinner – another blessing!  Here was my menu:

Baked Almond Chicken
Mashed Potatoes
Green Beans
Corn Pudding
Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Quick Yeast Rolls
This normally succulent chicken dish was a bit overcooked because I didn’t take into consideration that we were having communion at church, so the service lasted longer.  It was a great service; the only thing that wasn’t blessed by it was my chicken!  I don’t think I’ll make this on Sunday again, but normally this is a really elegant chicken dish!
Baked Almond Chicken
1/2 C all purpose flour
1/3 C plus 1 T butter or margarine, melted, divided
1 tsp celery salt
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp pepper
6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1-1/2 cups whipping cream
1/3 C dry bread crumbs
3/4 C sliced almonds, toasted
Place flour in a shallow bowl.  Combine 1/3 C butter and seasonings in another bowl.  Coat chicken with flour, then dip in butter mixture.  Arrange in a greased shallow 3 qt baking dish.  Pour cream around chicken.  Bake, uncovered at 350 for 45 minutes.
Combine bread crumbs and remaining butter; sprinkle over chicken.  Top with almonds.  Bake, uncovered, for 5-9 minutes.  The recipe recommends serving this over pasta, which would be really good!



This is a bit blurry, but I had to zoom in so you could see one hot out of the oven.  This is when these yeast rolls are best…oh, and with butter! 

 Quick Yeast Rolls
1 Cup boiling water
1 tsp salt
6 T shortening
1/4 cup sugar
1 pkg yeast dissolved in 2 T lukewarm water
3 1/2 C flour
1 egg

Combine boiling water, shortening, salt and sugar in a bowl.  Cool to lukewarm.  Add egg, yeast mixture and half of the flour.  Beat well and then add rest of the flour.  Roll out and shape in rolls.  Place in greased pan or muffins tins.  Let rise 1 hour and bake at 400 degrees 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown.

After the dough has risen, I cut each roll out with a cookie cutter so they are the same size, then…

I cut each circle into thirds and roll each piece into a ball, and place them into the muffin tin to make clover leaf rolls.

Have you made a Texas Sheet Cake?  It’s one of my favorite chocolate cakes!  However, I found a recipe for it in my Cooking Light Cookbook that tastes exactly like the standard recipe, with less fat and calories!  Please try this if you love chocolate cake! 



I’ve found this cake keeps best in the fridge.  As soon as you pour the icing on the warm cake, pop it into the fridge uncovered until the icing hardens, then cover it with Syran Wrap.

 I also like this cake because it feeds a crowd.  I made dinner for friends on Saturday, so this cake made plenty for us and plenty to share!

What have you been cooking in your kitchen?  Did you have guests for dinner recently?  If it’s been a while, start praying about whom the Lord would have you invite over.  You’ll be reminded that it is truly a blessing to serve others.

From my parsonage kitchen,