Happy Birthday Jesus!

I'm posting this a little early so I can be with my family this morning.  As you read this, I'm probably opening presents and getting the traditional family breakfast ready.  We sit the table with the fancy china, crystal glasses, candles, tablecloth and advent wreath the night before.  After we open presents, we sit down to a really good breakfast of sausage-cranberry quiche, cinnamon rolls, fresh fruit, coffee and orange juice. 

As we are waiting for the food to finish baking, my husband reads the Christmas story, the family lights our advent candles and we sing some Christmas songs.  We sit around and talk and talk.  It's a great time to remember why we are doing something so special on this day.  When the kids were little, we sang 'happy birthday, baby Jesus'.  Oftentimes, we had a special cake for dessert.  Now, we talk about how blessed we are and how much we take for granted.

I truly believe that within my lifetime I will see Christians in the United States being persecuted for our beliefs.  We are already beginning to see the tide turn from not being a Christian nation, even our president has said so.  This makes me very sad.  God has blessed this country for many years and yet we are not willing to even acknowledge His presence. 

For today, I will celebrate Christ's birth with my husband and children.  I will celebrate being able to openly worship the God I serve.  I am truly blessed.

Christmas Eve!

At last, it's finally here! Christmas Eve, that's when my daughter gets to open the present under our tree marked to her to open today!  She's so excited!  The truth is, she knows what it is and most people would think it was crazy!

You have to know the story......several years ago, some friends sent us a gift box with smoked sausage, cheese, mustard, crackers, etc.  You've all seen those gift boxes from Pepperidge Farms.  When I was a kid, my grandpa always got a big one from someone and he'd open it on Christmas Eve.  I loved all those little miniature food items.  Well, so does my daughter.  We ate it that year on Christmas Eve with soup I had made after we got home from the Christmas Eve service.

The next year, she asked Santa for one of the boxes with food in it.  Took me awhile to decipher that one!  But sure enough, there was one under the tree with her name on it a couple of days before Christmas.  The next year, her brother bought it for her and the last few years, I've purchased it for her to open up on Christmas Eve so we can eat it that night. 

Some years, we eat it at our house, some years at another family members but it's turned into a fun tradition that we all get to enjoy.  Sausage, cheese and crackers, who knew something so simple could bring so much excitement!

Good Neighbors

We are blessed with good neighbors.  We always have been, wherever we have lived.  That's always the thing I miss most when we've moved, our neighbors.  Having a good relationship with the neighbors doesn't take much work but it is more than worth it! 

Now, I know, some people are just crazy and hard to get along with.  Some neighbors don't want to be good neighbors and there is nothing you can do about it.  We've always been blessed with people who feel as we do and I know that doesn't always happen.  Our neighbors range in age from our age to over seventy years old.  Some have grandkids that live close, some have taken our kids as their own.  My son has done chores for a few of them.  It benefits them both.  He learns about working for someone other than his dad and I and they get some help with something they may not be able to do anymore.  We watch each others homes when we travel and come to each others aid when we are needed.  We borrow from each other tools and eggs.

I always bake goodies for our neighbors at Christmastime.  Around here, we don't live in a 'normal' neighborhood.  We don't have an addition.  We live along a road and I consider the 5-6 people we live around our 'neighborhood'.  Even though it's not a traditional neighborhood, we all stick together closer than some people who can see in each others living rooms.  That may be the reason, we give each other our space!

This year, I baked two kinds of biscotti.  One was a shortbread biscotti with dried fruits, the other was a double chocolate.  I packed the biscotti with an assortment of tea and chocolates.  The son delivered them throughout the neighborhood a few weeks ago. 

I don't send the packages with hopes of getting something in return but it is fun over the last few weeks to see the neighbors and sample their holiday goodies.  One neighbor commented that they enjoy each year getting all the stuff because it's like a up-to-date cookie exchange.  We're all so busy, we can't commit to a single saturday to exchange so we all do it whenever we can.  About once a week, from thanksgiving to Christmas, someone shows up bearing gifts we can eat!  Yummy!

I got my last visit last night, kind of made me sad to think we're done for the year.  We've had homemade chocolate dipping sauce and cookies to dip, caramel popcorn, chex mix, apple bread, chocolate ice cream sauce and homemade salsa from the cooks garden.  We decided that next summer, when my blackberries come in that we're going to do a jelly making party.  And by the taste of this salsa, I'm hoping for a salsa making party also!

Get to know your neighbors.  Along with all the other benefits, it can be very tasty!

Cranberry-Sausage Quiche

Had this recipe for many, many years.  We've had it only for Christmas morning breakfast each year.  It's pretty, easy to make and tastes special on Christmas morning!

Christmas Morning Cranberry-Sausage Quiche

1 9 inch pie shell
1/2 lb sausage, mild or medium
1/2 C chopped onion
3/4 C dried cranberries
11/2 C monterry jack cheese, this can be a blend on mj and chedder
3 eggs, lightly beaten
11/2 C half and half
Preheat oven to 400F. Bake pie shell for 7 minutes. Don't prick the pie shell before cooking.  Reduce temp. to 375F.  Crumble and cook sausage and onion.  Drain.  stir in cranberries.  Sprinkle cheese on bottom of pie shell.  Top with sausage mixture.  combine eggs and half and half.  Pour over sausage mixture. Bake 40-45 minutes.  Let stand 10 minutes.  You know it's done if you put a knife in the center and it comes out clean.

I bake the pie shell and make the sausage and eggs the day before.  I just put it all together Christmas morning and start baking.  Then we open presents!

What to do today?

I'm sitting here trying to decide what to do today....should we make gingerbread cookies first or do the house cleaning?  Of course, I'd like to forget house cleaning altogether and just bake but someone has to clean....and that would be me!

A few years ago, when I started working outside of the home, I felt overwhelmed by Christmas duties.  I sat down the family and asked what they most needed at Christmas.  What did they absolutely need to have a Christmastime for it to be Christmas.  My daughter said 'gingerbread cookies and a gingerbread house.' My son said  'Christmas tree.' Typical boy, as if we'd not have a tree!  My husband said toffee.  I noticed no one said, 'house decorated from top to bottom inside and out.'  Everything they said seemed to center around food and being together.  For me, it was the sunday night advent meal that we have.  Some nights, it ends up being on Monday night or Saturday night because someone has to be somewhere on Sunday night but it's a once a week time when we sit down, light candles, read the bible and remember the Reason for this Season!

Puts it all into perspective for me.  Reminds me that it's ok not be completely ready for everything.  Mary and Joseph certainly weren't....they traveled to Bethlehem without a reservation at a hotel!  If they could do that, I can certainly trust God to take care of me and the family.  He's done a great job so far!

I don't get all bent out of shape when everything doesn't get put up at Christmas.  I don't get bent out of shape if the outside lights look like three reindeer and a camel.  I don't get bent out of shape if the gingerbread people look like people who have been through a nuclear meltdown.  It's not about perfection, it's about being together and making memories. 

Sure made Christmas more fun!  I'm going to bake gingerbread.....I'm hoping an elf will clean house!

Busy, busy, busy!

Christmas is coming! I am busy making and baking goodies for all the get-togethers that are coming in the next week.  I've made oodles of chocolate dipped pretzels for my kid's youth group party and my husband's work guys.  I've made chicken salad, salsa, brushetta and cheese logs for the ladies at my husband's work.  They are so good to him all year, letting him 'forget' to  bring things on eating days but still eat.  I try a couple of times a year to send a full lunch so he can stay in their good graces! I remember how the men at my work always were.  They never brought anything but were always the first in line to eat!

I'm making chocolate candy canes and baking cake mix cookies for the kids party on Wednesday.  There will be about one hundred kids and they will all need SUGAR!  I'm sure there will be enough sugar to get the entire town on a rush that will last a few hours!

Yesterday, I had the entire family sit down and decide what our Christmas breakfast and dinner would include.  Usually, everyone has their favorite dishes.  I tend to overcook so I decided to let everyone tell me what they wanted.  Green bean casserole - good bye.  Oven french toast - you're toast this year.  One by one, they deleted from the menu extra stuff I always made that they really didn't care for.

The menu for breakfast will be; cranberry-sausage quiche, homemade cinnamon rolls, fresh fruit, orange juice and coffee.  The dinner menu will be: baked ham with cherry sauce, twice-baked potatoes, mixed veggies, strawberry-feta-lettuce salad and hot rolls.  A lot less than I usually make but since the family chose the menu, I decided that we'd just make what we wanted.  Of course, they'll be several desserts including a cherry pie.  We always have to have a cherry pie for my son.  It won't be Christmas without a cherry pie!  And gingerbread men and women.....and fudge.....and toffee.....and coffee! 

My mouth is watering just thinking about it.  I've got to go roll out some more cheese logs!

Not Feeling it Yet!!!

I'm not feeling like Christmas yet....I'm still in school and my skin has started turning green, grinch-like green! It's a good thing that tomorrow is the last day for this year or I'm sure my heart would start shrinking and I'd have Kate, the big black dog, drag me around the brown yard in the wagon! 

Teachers all over the country and probably world get like this around this time of year.  From Thanksgiving till Christmas break, oops, I said Christmas break, teachers try, try, try to keep everybody on task at school.  This is like hearding cats.  Can't be done! Even the teenagers lose their focus.  I know, THAT'S A BIG SURPRISE!
Teenagers losing focus!  Well, teachers try to keep them focused and by this week, we're just worn down.  Then that kid, you know who you are, that hasn't done one thing all year comes up and asks, 'is there anything I can do over Christmas break (yeah, the kids call it Christmas break too!), that I can do to bring up my grade to a D?

This is the kid who has done nothing all semester! They have a 10% average! Are you kidding me?  I've called your parents fifteen times this semester!  Are you kidding me?  Really, Really, you are asking me this now? 

About now, the kid realizes that they have made a deadly mistake.  The teacher is laughing hysterically and suddenly runs out of the room and into the teachers lounge,  a few minutes pass and the teachers lounge erupts in loud laughter!  I wish teachers lounges had margarita machines in them.  We'd all have a better December!

The good thing about being a virtual school teacher is that I can take a break after an email like the one above and take a walk.  I can go outside and play with Kate before I come back in, make that call and say, 'Really, Really........'

Cake Mix Cookies

I've been busily baking for every event under the sun lately!  I've still got a lot to do and a lot of parties and get-togethers that need my baked goods!  I've made these cookies for years, I got the recipe from a lady in Indiana.  She brought them to a teachers party and I had to have the recipe.  I was so surprised when I got it and it was easy!  I buy the cake mixes on sale in the fall and can easily whip up a batch of these in no time at all. 
They always get rave reviews from kids and grown-ups alike!

Cake Mix Cookies

1 cake mix (strawberry, lemon, german chocolate, chocolate, etc)
2 eggs
1/4 C vegetable cooking oil
Mix well and place in the fridge for about an hour.  Roll about a teaspoon of the dough into a ball.  Now the fun begins. 
Strawberry/lemon - roll in powdered sugar
German Chocolate - roll in coconut and chopped nuts
Chocolate, mix in mint chips and roll into balls
Slightly flatten on cookie sheet.
You get creative and make your own combinations! Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes, do not overbake!

Thinking of others......

We're in the process of coming up with little gifts for all the extra people in our lives.  The sunday school leaders, the piano teacher, the youth leaders who spend a little extra time helping my kids.  Now, we're not wealthy.  Most years, it's homemade gifts or little gifts I've picked up on sale over the year.  I've made soup mixes, bath salts, hot chocolate, homemade baked goods, etc. 

As someone who, over the years, has been the recipient of little gifts like these, I know how much they really mean to the person who gets them.  No, it doesn't have to be expensive.  But when someone actually spends a little money or a little time to make or purchase something with me in mind, it tells me that they noticed the things I did throughout the year.  I don't volunteer so I can get things back, I don't expect anything in return. That's what makes those little things even better.  It's nice to be noticed and thanked, even if it's just a card thanking me for my time. 

My challenge this season is to remember a person that maybe most people look over.  A person that isn't expecting anything as a gift.  Give them a little something, a baked good, a card thanking them, just something.  Something that lets them know you  noticed their service over the year.  You'll make their day!

Geez mom, everybody knows your organized.....

In the paper today, there was an article about not getting stressed over the holidays.  I laughingly commented that I hardly ever felt stressed over the holidays....maybe every other thing, but honestly, not the holidays.  He said one word as he ate his leftover stew we were eating for lunch, ' organized'.....I just about choked on my stew, 'organized?!' I asked?  'Mom, you are so organized.  You have it all down so none of us ever feel stressed about Christmas and stuff.  We know what we're going to do every day.'  'Like what?', I asked.  'You know, Sunday night is advent night. Each week, we take turns reading and lighting the candles. We put the outside decorations up the week before Thanksgiving but don't turn them on until after Thanksgiving.  You put the tree up and all the inside decorations after Thanksgiving.  You've already bought the gingerbread house and all the stuff that we'll bake.  I've already delivered all the baked goods to the neighbors.  The week we're out of school, we'll decorate the gingerbread men.  We'll have soup and bread after church on Christmas eve, usually nanny and poppy come over.  Christmas eve, you'll set the fancy table for Christmas breakfast and we'll have that yummy french toast.'  He took a long sip of his soup as he looked over at me, 'Geez mom, everybody knows you're organized.' 

I was speechless for a full minute.  How in the world had my son, who can't even seem to find his shoes anymore by himself, list all the stuff in order that I do each year? It dawned on me that it was because each year I do things in the same order.  I guess I am pretty organized!  And golly, he had actually noticed! 

Maybe there is hope for him afterall!  He recognizes that being organized keeps the stress away! I'm hoping that some of that extra planning may be sinking into that teenage brain so when the smoke clears in a few years around that brain of his, he'll come out thinking a little extra planning is a good thing! 

Making Frugal Gifts....

I'm going to post this week some frugal gifts that we have made over the years.  We like to make gifts for just about everyone from grandmas down to sunday school teachers.  I think it's nice to be remembered, even if it's just a little something.  That little something shows that you appreciate them and thought of them.  It goes a long way......I've been there.

Here's a recipe for candy cane bath salts I've made many times.  I've used mason jars (you'll need the tall jelly jars) and gone to discount stores and found cheap, funky containers to put it in.  One year, at a glass manufacturers sale, I found a decorative jar that let me put miniature candy canes in the lid.  Usually, I just tie a candy cane on with a pretty ribbon.

Guaranteed to make your house smell wonderful!!!!

Candy Cane bath salts

2 4lb cartons Epsom Salts
4 pounds sea salt or kosher salt (buy this at the supermarket in a big bag)
1/2 teaspoon glycerin
12-15 drops peppermint essential oil (health food stores will carry this)
12-15 drops red food color

Empty one carton Epsom salts into a large mixing bowl.  Add 1/2 the salt and stir well.  Stir in 1/4 teaspoon glycerin and 7 drops of the peppermint oil.  Mix well.

In a large plastic bag, mix the remaining epsom salt and sea salt. Add the remaining glycerin, oil and the food color.  Mix well, color should be even.  I put this is in a large plastic bag because it's easier to mix around the food coloring.   I use a trash bag and tie it closed.

Depending on the size of container you have, layer about one inch of the white then one inch of the pink until you reach the top.  Close tightly and decorate. 

I usually make a pretty handmade tag to tell the recipient what it is and how to use it:
  1/4 cup in a warm bath

Frugal Teachers Gifts

As you already know, I'm pretty frugal.  I like to get a deal and I really like to be able to pass it on.  Since I'm a teacher, I'm pretty confident in getting gifts for my kids teachers.  My son is easy, I'm his teacher! I'll find me some good chocolate!

Let me say this once.....MOST teachers do not want an apple themed gift! I'm sure out there somewhere in teacher land, there is this one teacher, who still wears jumper dresses, that adores apple gifts and has her house decorated in them.  She probably even dresses her cat, that's the only thing that will live with her, in apple costumes! OK, OK, maybe I'm exaggerating a bit.  I've been told that I do that.  My husband and best friend used to call me the 'exaggerator' because I would make the number a bit bigger to make the story better.  Like instead of ten worms in the salad, I would say ten million worms! Hey, it wasn't a lie, it just made the story more exciting!

Anyway, I think I'm pretty good at teacher gifts.  I've given gift cards to coffee shops, sonic (teachers love happy hour) and even walmart.  Those are always appreciated, but since I'm also frugal, I like getting something I would love at a great price and gifting someone.  This year, I purchased expensive coffee travel mugs at a very discounted price.  They were only $1.50 each because they were father's day cups.  The bottom was removable to put a picture of you and your dad inside.  I took out the liner and replaced it with really cool black and white wrapping paper and 'presto' I have very expensive looking coffee mugs on the cheap.  Teachers do dig coffee travel mugs because they keep that morning coffee hot until you can make it back to the teachers lounge for a refill!  I filled each with hot cocoa, tea bags and chocolate bars.  Everything a teacher needs for a day on the job!

My husband made fun of me in August when I came up carrying an armload of father's day mugs and my daughter was skeptical.....now they think they look great and my daughter is wanting to take them monday to give away!  Total cost for four teachers gifts,.....under $6, including the stuff inside. 

Hit at Thanksgiving!

This year, I was in charge of bringing salads to thanksgiving dinner.  I like to make different salads and they travel well so I could leave my house and they could sit in the back for a few hours while we drove over.  This salad was the hit and it is super easy to make! I like those two things in any dish I plan to bring.  This travels well, tastes great and is so easy but it is really a pretty dish.  I had to send the recipe to my mom and sister this week. 

Marinated Mushroom Salad

2 1/2 quarts water

3 T lemon juice
3 lbs fresh mushrooms ( used 2 boxes of fresh mushrooms)
2 carrots, sliced
2 celery ribs, sliced
1/2 medium red pepper (could use any color)
1 small onion chopped
1 T fresh parsley
1/2 cup sliced stuffed green olives
1/2 cup sliced black olives



Dressing

1/2 cup italian salad dressing
1/2 cup red or white wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 t dried oregano
1/2 t salt

Bring water and lemon juice to a boil, add mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes. Drain and cool. Place mushrooms and the rest of the salad ingredients in a large bowl. combine all dressing ingredients and pour over salad. cover and refridgerate overnight.

This would make a great make-and-take dish to potluck this season!

Three Reindeer and a Camel!

Ok, I was telling you how I got the boys of the house to get the outside lights up one warm Saturday.  What I didn't mention is that I went Christmas shopping and was gone most of the day.  They like it that way.  Anything that keeps them from having to go to Tulsa and shop all day makes the two men of the house very, very happy!

When I got home, I realized that the two deer from last year didn't get put in the trash like I had planned.  They were almost ten years old and I had to wrap lights around them last year to get them to light up.  I think last year, I stayed in and put up decorations when they took them down....or maybe went shopping, I can't seem to remember!

Instead of two nice, new deer I purchased last year after Christmas, we had four deer standing in the yard.  Two nice, new deer and two things that looked like they had been mangled.  I managed to get one looking almost good but the other one...he'd lost his antlers over the summer and so I said he'd had a sex change operation and was now a doe.  He'd also somehow managed to get the lights I had carefully wrapped around him last year wadded up into a ball in the center of his body!  I just pulled them out around his/her body and called it good. 

The night of light up was a few days ago.  I was not pleased with my he/she deer.  I have finally made peace with it.  It's not a deer after all! It is actually a camel! That's what it looks like and I've just told the family that whenever someone comments on him/her to tell them I purchased a camel off the internet.....that actually sounds plausible if you know me! 

Now I kind of like my camel!

Decorating for Christmas!

We are in the major throws of decorating at my house.  The outside lights got put up a few weeks ago on a really warm week-end.  I informed the men of the house that since it was going to start getting cold, that we'd put them up on the warm week-end.  I lose serious interest when I have to bundle up to string lights.  My fingers get too cold to work! 

The tree is up and decorated in the living room but the other trees will get put up as the week progresses.  It's a busy week because on saturday, our church youth group is in the Christmas parade downtown.  Guess who offered decorations and help?  Oh yeah, it's me!  It will be fun!

Saturday is also the Christmas home tour in our town.  A bunch of girlfriends and I take the morning off and become peeping toms throughout Claremore!  It's always a good time of gabbing, lunch and usually, I feel very blessed by my own home when I return.  My house may not be the biggest or fanciest, but I truly love my house! 

Gotta go!  My daughter is hauling up the trees from the garage!

Back to Work!

Had a nice Thanksgiving week with the family.  We visited family and went to our last college football game of the season.  Our team didn't win but they and their fans were good losers and to me, that's what is all about.

As I sat at the football game with my two children around me, I began to wonder how we have gotten so crazed and fanatical as sports fans.  It seems that when you are in a sports stadium, everyday reason and common sense gets thrown out the window for insanity.  Grown men and even sometimes, women, act like jerks and worse. 

I remember as a child, we hosted a preacher in our home.  He was preaching our revival and he stayed with us over the weekend.  To say he was a big fan was an understatement.  I lost respect for the man when, as I child, I witnessed him kneeling down and praying to God for a win!  Even as a kid, I wondered if he truly believed that God cared about who won? 

Going to the games has been fun.  Most schools we've hosted have been very nice and good sports.  The men, dare I even call those boys that, have exhibited good sportsmanship whether winning or losing on both teams.  It is sad that just a few jerky fans can ruin an entire program.  This last game had jerky fans, no one else this season did.  I guess 9 out of 10 ain't bad!

We'll definitely go back next year.  It was a fun time with the entire family.  We reconnected with old friends by tailgating.  I hope my husband and I are showing our children how to win with grace and lose with dignity.  As a grown-up, I realize that it's only a game.  I wish more grown-ups did.....

Mother Daughter Date Night!

My daughter and I traveled to Tulsa last night to see the musical Wicked.  I splurged this year and bought season tickets for the Tulsa Performing Arts Center.  I really love live theater but haven't been able to since the kids have been born to see more than one performance a year.  This year, my kids have decided that soccer is not for them and honestly, I am extremely happy!  It sure leaves a lot of time to do other things!

We started our night with a hair appointment.  It was a real luxury that I didn't plan!  It just happened that I made the appointments and then realized that it was the same night of Wicked!  It was so very, very nice to not have to worry about my hair all day long.  I just had to pick out something to wear. 

We then went and ate at Olive Garden.  We were hoping to eat sushi but our restaurant was closed on monday.  Oh well, Olive Garden is my daughter's second favorite restaurant.  We shared an entree because we had our eyes on the prize.....dessert!  We don't normally get dessert out but this was a special night!  Of course, it was chocolate!

Wicked was terrific!  It was really special to see and hear my daughter laugh with her eyes all lit up!  She is finally old enough to sit through the entire performance and understand the dialogue and songs.  I'm hoping that I'm growing up a child that loves live theatre as much as I do! 

She's already made a play for the next performance because it's ballroom dancing.  I'm sure my husband doesn't care!  I think I'll let her chose who takes her, it may be time for a daddy-daughter date.  She loves those too! It is important to take your child by themselves out occasionally.  You can talk without distractions and without their siblings you sometimes see a different child.

I'm planning to take my son to the Aluminum show later in the season.  They beat on aluminum, maybe not my favorite, but I'll bet he likes it and I'll enjoy spending time just with him.  Yep, these may be the best tickets I've purchased in a long, long time!

Thanksgiving traditions

By now you know that I'm all about traditions.  Each and every holiday has a tradition and sometimes I make up special things for those poor months that kind of got jipped in the holiday department.  When I was growing up, we did the same thing.  My mom made a cherry pie on Washington's birthday!  I always think that traditions are what keep a family together even if they are physically far apart.

Years ago, when I first got married and moved 750 miles away from my parents, brother, sister and all other family members, that first Thanksgiving was hard.  My parents and siblings even came to visit, but it wasn't the same.  The only thing that was the same were the dishes that we made for Thanksgiving.  We all went to my new in-laws house and although it was a wonderful dinner, it wasn't the dinner I wanted.  I wanted my momma's dressing, my momma's turkey and all the stuff that went with it. 

The day after Thanksgiving, we traveled back to our little apartment and as we went in the place, my mom stayed back and told the guys that we were going to go grocery shopping and would be back soon.  We shopped that night for all the 'stuff' that I craved.  The cornbread dressing with lots of onion and celery and sage, the jalapeno-corn casserole that was so tasty as a leftover....all of it! The next day, we ate leftover turkey with my families traditional dishes.  It didn't make them leaving in a few days any easier but it sure filled a empty spot in the old heart!

I dug out my mom's jalapeno corn casserole yesterday so I could make sure that I had all the ingredients for next week.  I ususally bring that now over to the family gathering.  The card is looking kind of bad, it's covered with over 20 years of making it splashes and smears but it's written in my moms handwriting.  Along with making the recipe that first Thanksgiving, she also left me the recipe!

Jalapeno-corn casserole


1 C uncooked long grain rice, this can be brown rice
1 green pepper chopped, optional
1 cup chopped celery
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup melted margarine or butter
1 Tablespoon sugar
1-2 jalepano peppers, chopped
2 (17 oz.) cans cream-style corn
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
pepper rings, cherry tomato slices for garnish, if desired.

Cook rice according to directions and set aside.
Saute onion, celery and green pepper in margarine until veggies are tender.
Combine rice, sauteed veggies and next four ingredients, stirring well.
Spoon mixture into a lightly greased, 13x9 inch baking dish.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes.
Garnish with pepper rings and cherry tomato slices.

I hope you have your own Thanksgiving recipes to share in your family this year!

I'm a Christian, I'm not Jesus Christ!

My post today may offend some, don't read it if it does.  I'm sorry but I'm just more than a bit miffed at people who try to put me up on a pedistal because I'm a practicing Christian.  It seems that they just stand around looking for the one time when I step out of line, never looking at most of the time when I'm out there doing good, so they can publically humiliate me by saying stupid sayings like 'Judge not, least you be judged' or 'way to turn the other cheek' or you fill in the blank if you've been there with me!

I do know that I'm not Jesus, I don't even pretend to be.  Follow me around for about five minutes and you'll quickly see that I'm not.  I know it, I know I'm not even close to being perfect.  I try to do what is right, to treat others the way I want to be treated, help out in the community through service and try to live my life like someone who has a wonderful gift of grace would love to share it with anyone willing to listen.

But I do get angry, upset, hurt, say bad words sometimes, lie and do all those other things that every human on the face of the planet is also guilty of.  It doesn't make me less christian, it certainly hurts my witness sometimes, but I'm still a child of God because He doesn't expect me to be perfect.  If He did, He would not have given His son's life to pay for my crummy sins. 

I have to take a deep breath sometimes when that tiny, little person starts in on me when I've messed up.  Usually, they need more prayer than anyone and it seems they enjoy pointing out that I've messed up so now they can say Christians are just as sinful as they are.  Yes, yes, we are.  Some of us are more sinful than most.  But that doesn't make us less Christians. 

There, I've posted my rant for the week. I know it won't help those certain people who like to find fault in everyone so they can feel better about themselves. But it made me feel better!

My pear tree

When we moved here almost twelve years ago this month, I was really excited because the property had pecan and pear trees and blackberry bushes. I found out that one pear tree has the little tiny pears that are for grinding, which I won't do; one pear has larger pears but they never get soft and one pear that has perfect eating pears!  I use the large hard pears to cook with and today, I made two pear cakes using a recipe from a friend years ago gave me. 

It is soooooo good and certainly makes me feel that fall has arrived!

Pear Cake

4 cups, peeled and diced small pears; the hard ones work best
2 cups sugar
1 cup chopped nuts
Mix these together and set aside

Add:
1 cup oil or 1/2 cup oil with 1/2 cup mashed banana, applesauce, pumpkin puree, etc
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 beaten eggs

Sift:
3 cup flour; I use 1/2 white, 1/2 whole wheat
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 t salt

1 teaspoon soda
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Mix dry ingredients with pear mixture.  Bake in a well greased and floured bundt cake pan 1 hour 15 minutes at 350 degrees.
Or:  bake in a greased 9x13 pan for about 35-40 minutes at 350 degrees

Let cool, then drizzle with 1-2 cups powdered sugar and 2-4 tablespoons water.   

My house smells so good and I'm making tea to have with my pear cake.  I also made an extra for my husbands work.  The ladies are always bringing treats and he always eats them so I try to send goodies every so often to treat them!