Quick and Easy Dinner

Here's a great tasting recipe, that's easy (I promise!)

FIVE INGREDIENT CHICKEN POT PIE

2 pie shells (I buy the pre-made crusts in the refrigerator section)
2 (10.5 oz) cans cream of chicken soup
1 (10.5 oz) can mixed veggies, drained
1 (10.5 oz) can potatoes, drained (you'll have to slice these)
1 (5 0z) can chunk or shredded chicken, drained

*size of cans goes according to taste. I just use, "average," sized cans. Just make sure it all fits into the pie!

Put one pie shell on pie plate, put the other shell aside. Mix remaining ingredients in a bowl, then put into pie. Top with second pie shell. Poke holes in top with fork and cook in 350" oven for about 30 min., until warmed through and golden.

I usually serve mine with a green salad and rolls. When there's company, I'll make two. It's a nice looking dish to present and everyone loves it (kids and adults!)

Begining the Holidays...

Today, in celebration of the harvest, my little guy and I made orange Rice Krispy treats together!
They are so easy to make, and he made sure to put lots of green and brown sprinkles all over them too!
We're going to take a batch over for the Mom's Group tomorrow, along with a healthy salad and some focaccio bread I made!
Ever since I figured out how to make focaccio bread with my bread maker, I make it often, especially for potlucks or events. It always gets eaten right up too!
I mix my ingredients in the bread maker on dough cycle and when it's done I take it out and spread it on a pan to rise. I brush it with melted butter and herbs to taste and after about 30 min., I place it in the oven to cook.
It's not too hard, and worth the effort!

I spent some time on the phone today organizing this years children's Christmas Pageant. I have quite a few helping so far. I'm not completely comfortable with organizing events like these, but no one else wanted to either!
I will be spending a lot of time in prayer to be able to be, "filled up," enough to be of use to people.
The best part is working with the kids, the hardest part is, "being in the know," about All the details. My best friend is So Gifted at event planning and organizing...me not so much. Any skills I might have in the area are hard earned, and did not come naturally or easily!
Today I found a volunteer to be in charge of costumes. She is a wiz with the sewing machine, and she's so sweet! Some people are so pleasant to work with!

Sunday Report

From time to time, I like to invite just the bachelors of the church to Sunday dinner at our home.

Today, after church, was one of those times. As usual, meat and potatoes was on the menu, because thats what men love. I also served, as one of the sides, my home made canned applesauce! (I couldn't resist). They really liked it, and said it's amazing how it tastes different from store bought (in a good way, I think! :-))

It's a lot of fun having just the guys over. They are, of course, very thankful for a home cooked meal. Most of their diets consist of mostly top ramen and cereal, so their not a difficult crowd to please.

Another sweet thing happened as I was preparing the meal, my little son said, "Mommy can I have a hug and a kiss?" I said, "Of course!" As I was hugging him, he said that my hug wasn't big enough, so I squeezed harder, till we both got the giggles.

I thought on the busyness of the morning, and how much sharing he has to do with other people over Papa and Mama at church. I think it can be difficult for our children at times in the ministry. When he runs to me after nursery to show me his picture and tell me what he learned, and soon finds out Mommy's got 101 people that also need her...whew, it can't be easy.
So when he asked for a hug and a kiss, I knew how bad he needed me at that moment. I'm just glad he asked.

Apples, etc.

Today was spent canning my first ever batch of applesauce!
Our neighbors had an apple tree blow down from some of the recent storm winds we've had here.
So, they called to see if I would like some apples, and being that I can't pass up anything free, I said "of course!"

I figured out very fast, after tripling an apple crisp recipe I was making for some friends in the church, that they weren't very good apples at all! They were the hardest, most bitter, dry apples I had ever tasted. Of course I didn't try them until after all of my apple crisps were already done!! Thankfully, I was able to doctor them up enough to feel comfortable giving them away. After that, however, I was at a loss as to what to do with the huge pile of apples I had left.

I ended up borrowing a hot water bath and some other canning supplies from someone at church, and I decided to make applesauce. I don't have my own canning supplies yet. I plan on trying to find some at a discounted price, maybe Craig's List (I'm not sure if I spelled that right)? I've never been on that sight, but I've heard you can find good deals there.

Anyways, it was a long process for me because I'm such a novice. I also think if I had a food processor, that it would have been much quicker. But...I am very proud of all my jars of applesauce sitting on the counter right now! If I knew how to put pictures on this thing, I'd even post a picture!! (Yes, I took pictures!)

After browsing at recipe's online and in my canning bluebook, I've decided with the rest of the apples I have here, to give a try canning apple juice, apple butter and apple pie filing. I figure I can give some away as Christmas gifts! I think thats pretty neat considering it hasn't costed me anything to make!

Laundry Blues

Today I am trying not to grumble as it's Monday (which already has one strike against it - what a let down day after all the hustle, bustle, ups and downs of a Sunday)!
Not only is it Monday, but it is laundry day...treating stains, sorting colors, washing, drying, folding, putting away...what a process!!
I remember my late youth Pastor's wife, who was also a SAHM. She used to always try to keep her head up with scripture and prayer on days like these...blah days. I just loved her, she was an amazing woman!
So here goes!

Green Bean Galore!

I have about 25 pds. of fresh green beans in my kitchen. They are, I think, the last of the seasons. It is always a bitter sweet end when the last of a crop comes in. You are so glad, because the abundance of it has made you a little sick of it, and it's a little sad because it's to be no more till next year.
I have made Garlic Green Beans, Ginger Soy Green Beans, Italian Green Bean Soup, Chicken Potato Soup with Green Beans, and just plain. raw. crunchy, fresh from the garden green beans ( I tell my kids they are green french fries..."cool!")
Any green been recipies out there? I'm sure I can't be the only one reaping in the harvest right now. My neighbor makes a Green Bean Pie...I should get the recipie, that sounds very good!
I will be blanching and freezing most of what I have left here in my kitchen. There is no way we will be able to eat all of these before they go bad. Plus, there aren't really any neighbors or church folks to give them to, most are all already burned out on the things (it's always a good season when it comes to green beans!)

Patching Up Jeans

I'm currently patching a pair of my hubby's Carhartt work jeans. They already have two layers of denim on the thighs, but here I am patching holes that have become so large, he can no longer wear them. He insists that all the guys he knows wear their jeans out just as fast. "Sometimes they catch on things,,, like the saw blades." "Please," I thought, I don't want to know, just give me the jeans, and I'll fix them!

They are of course his favorite, so here I am, attempting to patch them up. I'm doing a double zig zag seam to be extra sure. I have tried the iron on patches, but never had much success. I have heard that if you iron, then sew them on, that they actually last without falling off.

However, I have an old pair of denim jeans that I kept around, and it's a good thing because now I can cut them up for fabric (you never know when you just might need something) {smile}.

If I ever figure out how to post pictures on this thing (I'm technologically challenged), then I'll post a picture of my patching attempts. (Our computer is a Mac, and things seems to be a little different with these.)