A Breakfast Treat - Part 2

As promised yesterday, here are the recipes from our recently hosted breakfast. We'll start with the two made by my friend, Tracy.

Poppy Seed Bread with Orange Glaze

3 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups veg. oil
1 1/2 cups milk
3 cups flour
1 1/2 teas. baking powder
1 1/2 teas. salt
3 Tablespoons poppy seeds
2 teas. almond extract

Orange Glaze
1/4 cup orange juice concentrate, thawed
3/4 cup 10X sugar
1/2 teas. vanilla
1 teas. almond extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two loaf pans . Beat together eggs, sugar, oil and milk in a medium bowl. Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Beat into egg mixture. Stir in poppy seeds and almond ext. Divide batter into loaf pans. Bake for 1 hour or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Leave in pan while mixing the glaze. Run a bread knife around each loaf to loosen the sides from the pan. Pour glaze over the warm loaves. With the bread knife pull the sides of bread away from the pan to let the glaze run down into the pan. Let cool completely in the pan. Slice and enjoy! Freezes well!

Cinnamon Rolls (bread machine recipe, dough cycle only)

Dough:
1 cup water or milk
2 Tablespoons butter, softened
1 egg
3 1/3 cups bread flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons yeast

Filling:
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2-3 Tablespoons butter, melted

Glaze:
1 cup powered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1-2 Tablespoons milk

1. Place all dough ingredients in machine bread pan in order listed. Select dough cycle and start.
2. Grease 9x11 pan. Mix 1/3 cup sugar and cinnamon. Flatten dough into 18 x10 rectangle on lightly floured surface. Spread with melted butter; sprinkle with cinn. sugar mixture. Roll up tightly beginning at ten inch side. Pinch edge of dough into roll to seal. Cut roll into 1" slices. Place in pan. Cover; let rise in warm place until double, about 1 hour.
3. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Bake about 20 - 25 min. until lightly browned. Remove from pan; drizzle Glaze over warm rolls. approx. 12 rolls

Tracy's Note: You can roll the dough from the long end and make mini-rolls; great for breakfast buffet when serving many. =)

Here are the dishes I prepared. We'll start with one of our family favorites. Nearly 20 years ago, our law firm published a great little in-house recipe book. That's where I found this one and I've been using it ever since.

Breakfast Casserole

1 lb. bulk sausage
6 eggs
Shake of oregano
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
2 cups milk
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. salt

Crumble sausage and brown in skillet. Drain well. Beat together milk, eggs, dry mustard, oregano and salt. Pour into 13 x 9 inch glass baking dish. Sprinkle sausage and cheddar cheese over egg mixture. Refrigerate several hours or overnight. Bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes. (Let sit for five minutes before serving.)


I found the next recipe at "mycdkitchen.com" a couple of years ago. It's incredibly easy and has a wonderful, buttery flavor.

Baked French Toast

3 eggs

2/3 cup milk or cream (I use cream)

1 tsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

8 slices of Bread (I typically use Pepperidge Farm Cinnamon Raisin)

1/4 cup real butter

Mix eggs, milk, vanilla and cinnamon and pour into large, shallow pan.

Place bread slices in a single layer in pan and allow them to soak up liquid. (I usually turn them over, after soaking the first side. Also, sometimes my edges overlap slightly.)

Can be refrigerated overnight at this point.

Melt butter and pour into pan, lifting bread so butter can run underneath.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown.

Serve with confectioner's sugar & syrup or sweetened strawberries & whipped cream.

Baked Oatmeal

A few months ago, I found this recipe on my friend Judy's blog (Just a Little Something for You). I made it soon thereafter and discovered it was just delicious! Tom and I had Baked Oatmeal for the first time two years ago when we stayed at a Bed & Breakfast. We thoroughly enjoyed it then, but liked this recipe even more.

In the microwave, melt 1 stick of butter in a large bowl.

Add the following ingredients:

1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. cinnamon

3 cups oatmeal (not instant)

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 cup of milk

Stir until blended. Put into a greased 9 x 13 pan or baking dish. Sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes (or until slightly firm to touch and a golden brown). Serve warm with milk, chopped walnuts, craisins, raisins or chopped apples.

Incidentally, Judy has a wonderful way to use this dish as a hostess gift. (I made up two of them over the Christmas holiday and they were a big hit!) Visit her blog here for details.

Finally, we also served sausage and fruit, but according to my Mom, breakfast is not complete without biscuits. ; ) Of course, her biscuits are legendary. (Friends and relatives will drive two hours out of their way for the promise of breakfast with her biscuits!) They are truly a little taste of heaven. Mine? Not so much. She insists the secret is White Lily flour, however I've tried and tried to master her recipe yes, using White Lily flour with no success. Would you believe just a few months ago (to my complete and utter delight), I found White Lily Frozen biscuits in the freezer aisle of our grocery...I was THRILLED! They are truly, the next best thing to Mom's and they could not be simpler. Needless to say, I bought plenty for our breakfast so I'm sharing the recipe only for those of you who might like a challenge. (Otherwise, head to the nearest freezer aisle!)


Mom’s Biscuits

2 Cups White Lily Self-Rising Flour
1/4 cup shortening
2/3 to ¾ cup of milk

In medium size bowl, combine flour and shortening.
Take fork or pastry cutter and work shortening into the flour until it resembles pea-size lumps
Add milk all at once and stir quickly until well blended.
Sprinkle flour onto surface and place dough on top.
Sprinkle flour on top of dough and knead gently until smooth

Roll out and cut with biscuit cutter or pinch off portions of dough and roll into a ball and flatten gently in place on greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 475-500 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

Makes about 12 - 2” biscuits

I'd love to hear if you try any of these recipes. (Thank you Google Images for these photos...we were a little too busy to take photos!) Bon Appetit! = )

A Breakfast Treat - Part 1

Not long ago, we had the distinct privilege of hosting breakfast in our home for some students from The Academy of Arts along with some special family friends. The students were on their way back to South Carolina from Indiana. Since we've unofficially "adopted" many of them, they try and visit or stay with us when they're passing through the area. As is often the case when they are travelling, family members and/or friends of the students will come to wherever they are in order to see them, even briefly. We were thrilled to have them all! (You may recognize a number of them from "Our Town.")

Rachel & Anna - always thrilled to see one another!


One of the best things about having these students in your home is hearing them tell stories. They are always a highlight. = )

Another thing we love is their tradition of singing "Come and Dine" before partaking of a meal. It's an old hymn and they sing it with such beautiful harmonies. It never fails to bring tears to my eyes! (I wish I had thought to record it on video!)

A few more of my precious "adopted" daughters -
Erin, Lindsey & Natalie

A couple of days beforehand, I was contacted by Tracy Robertson. She and her family were coming to breakfast so they could see their daughter, Rachel. She asked what she might bring. All I could think to suggest was "a little something sweet." If you know anything about the Robertsons, they're all so very talented, yet also very humble. When Tracy arrived, her "little something sweet" was a large platter of homemade orange-glazed poppy seed bread! Her daughter Brittany followed with a large platter of homemade cinnamon rolls! Wow! Both were positively wonderful. = )

Tracy, Anna, Brittany & Rachel Robertson,
along with friend Lindsey


Ken Hines and Dale Robertson (who happened to be
the jeweler who created Breezy's engagement ring!)

We had such a great time together that morning, even though it seemed to pass too quickly. The sweetness of their love & laughter stays in our hearts long after they leave. As you can imagine, we're already looking forward to "next time." What a blessing and a treat.

Tomorrow, I'll post the recipes for everything we served (including Tracy's wonderful orange-glazed poppy seed bread and delicious cinnamon rolls!)

"Our Town" Weekend - Part 2

Sorry for the delay! As promised, here are the remaining photos (and some observations) from the play. My camera was being selectively cooperative last weekend. Many of these were taken by Brittany Robertson (sister to Rachel Robertson who played Emily). Special thanks to her for sharing her photos with me! = )

Before the play and at each intermission, this Barbershop Quartet (The Uncalled Four) performed...they were wonderful!! The audience LOVED them. They're all members of the college staff.

Mrs. Webb dispensing motherly advice to her children, Emily and Wally at the breakfast table before they head off to school.

The first hint at the relationship that is to follow...George Gibbs asks Emily if she could help him with his homework. = )

Mr. Webb comes home late from work to find Emily stargazing (no doubt thinking of George!) This father-daughter relationship was so endearing.

George's parents, Doc & Mrs. Gibbs. Believing he works too hard, she is constantly encouraging him to rest. Here, she has coaxed (dragged) him outside to relax and enjoy the fragrance of her beautiful flower garden.

A number of years have gone by Emily and George are now in high school. She believes his baseball talent and other accomplishments have gone to his head because he seems conceited and hard to talk to, and she tells him so. A very nervous George invites her to the local soda shop to try and smooth things over...(take note of the shopkeeper! ; ) One of the most charming scenes of the play.

Through the course of this afternoon at the soda shop, they begin to share how much they've always loved one another and what that means for their future. One of my favorite lines is when George says to Emily with such innocence "I guess this is a pretty important talk we've been having." They decide they will be married after they finish school.

When the time comes for Emily & George to marry, they both have a major case of pre-wedding jitters. Emily's Dad steps in to assure them both it will be alright. He gives his daughter's hand and tells George to take care of his girl.


The wedding (recognize the Pastor?) The girl to Emily's right is George's sister, Rebecca (you saw her in the previous post getting her hair styled).

Several guests at the wedding...the women from town, a professor from the local college, and other friends and family. The costumes were amazing! Would you just take a look at those hats! They were incredible.



This is a heart-wrenching scene. Nine years have passed since George and Emily's wedding. In a brush with death as she's delivering their second child, she sees how her family would be impacted if she were to die. She longs to comfort those who are grieving her loss, particularly George who is devastated. Your heart just aches as you watch this scene. Emily realizes all she has taken for granted, and that she and most everyone around her has lived busily distracted by day-to-day routines, not fully appreciating the incredible gift of life. You can't help but reflect on your own life as you hear her thoughts. We were crying, people all around us in the audience were crying. (I can still feel that sadness as I share this.) You hear Emily say "I want to live!" and the stage goes dark for a moment or two. When the lights come back up, you are back at the home of the Webbs. The whole family is gathered, apparently waiting when you hear an infant's cry. A few moments later, Doc Gibbs emerges from the room holding the new baby. He tells everyone they nearly lost Emily, but she is going to be alright. God in his grace has allowed her to live, undoubtedly with new hope and great joy and appreciation for all she has. As the family celebrates, you're still crying, but now the tears are joyful ones. The Stage Manager (Brennan) appears to share his final thoughts and he closes the play by bidding everyone a Good Night. What a beautiful hope-filled ending! This play carries so many messages...these were just a few. I've been pondering on them all week and appreciating this passage in a new way...

…For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears
for a little time and then vanishes away. (James 4:14)

And this one, has become my prayer....
Teach us to number our days aright,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
(Psalm 90:12)

May it be so.

Road Trip to "Our Town"

At last...I can tell you about our weekend! Tom and I both took a vacation day on Friday. After sleeping in a bit later than usual, we loaded up the car, picked up Brianna after her morning class and immediately hit the road. We were bound for South Carolina to see our boy!

Though we never need a special reason to go and visit Brennan, this time we had one. He and his classmates were performing “Our Town,” by Thornton Wilder. Until seeing the play, I was largely unfamiliar with the story, but it has quickly become one of my favorites. Set in a small New Hampshire town called Grover’s Corner just after the turn of the century, it follows the joys, struggles and heartbreaks of everyday life among its residents. Brianna described it as having the feel of a Norman Rockwell painting and I have to agree. While there are a number of distinct characters, the story centers mainly around the families of Emily Webb and George Gibbs. It follows their childhood, their courtship, their marriage and beyond. Brennan played the part of the stage manager, who introduces each scene and helps tell the story. In addition, throughout the play, he assumes various additional roles in several scenes that are portrayed.

The message of the play is lingering and unmistakable…to cherish every day of your life and live it to its fullest. This particular adaptation utilized scripture to drive home that point. As the lights went down in the theater and the play was about to begin, these words appear on the background of the darkened stage…

…For what is your life? It is even a vapor
that appears for a little time
and then vanishes away. (James 4:14)

followed by…

Teach us to number our days aright,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
(Psalm 90:12)

This beautiful play takes you through a range of emotions, from pure delight to heartbreaking sadness. Every member of the cast did an amazing job! Though we had come to see Brennan, we know and love all these kids and we were so proud of all their hard work. Under the skillful direction of Nicole Stratton, it was extremely well-done, but also deeply affecting, challenging and convicting. I’m so thankful we had the opportunity to see it.

We made only two brief stops on the 6 hour drive in the hopes of making it in time for the full performance Friday night. Everything went smoothly and we arrived with more than an hour to spare! (Thank you Lord!) That meant having the opportunity to go backstage and see Brennan and a number of other cast members beforehand and of course, take a few photos…


When Breezy saw Brennan in his stage makeup, with aged face and eyes, and glasses down on his nose, she said (with the sweetest smile), "I’m looking at my future." (Awww!)

Gotta run for now...I'll share the rest of the photos tomorrow. Hope you can stop back!

Thankful Thursday

As promised last week, I want to share thankfulness today for The Academy of Arts, a wonderful and unique ministry headquartered near Greenville, SC. Since 1971, it has been their mission to bring the Bible to life through drama. They’ve written many outstanding plays and musicals, often based on the lives of Biblical figures like Joseph or Paul, or heroes of the faith like William Tyndale, who first translated the Bible into other languages, or the first missionary, Adoniram Judson. The plays are always rich with strong Christian principals, and like a good sermon, are designed to make you think, and prompt you to action. The Academy works with schools and with home school groups all over the country who don’t have the benefit of their own Drama or Theatre department.

The process begins several months before “play week,” when a particular play is chosen. The school holds try-outs and casts the parts. Scripts are sent from the Academy and students begin memorizing their lines and rehearsing. On the Sunday evening preceding the performance, the Academy of Arts team arrives on the scene with props, stage sets, costumes, make-up, theatrical lighting, professional sound system (and anything else you’d need for a top notch performance).

“Play Week” begins first thing Monday morning. For that one week, regular classes are suspended and the intensive work begins -- all day, each day, with a full dress rehearsal on Thursday evening. This culminates into a performance on Friday night and sometimes Saturday as well. Students are taught and utilized in every aspect of putting on the performance. Some of course, have parts in the play while others work to create or update props, work with costumes, lighting, makeup, etc.

This may sound like an easy week, but I assure you, nothing could be further from the truth. Instead, what often happens is a mini revival breaks out! That’s because the Academy is about so much more than putting on a play, or even putting on a Christian play. By the time they arrive, they have put an immense amount of planning, preparation and most importantly, prayer into each week-long seminar. They want to fully equip the kids who will play the parts, so that God will speak through them (and to them) in the process. Interwoven into all the preparations for the play are intensive devotional messages each day that impact and challenge the kids greatly. I can tell you firsthand The Academy has had a profound impact on the life of my son, and countless other students we know.

As they travel throughout the school year conducting seminars in various schools, they are also looking for potential summer drama team members. Interestingly, they aren’t seeking the “most talented” performers. Instead, they look for students who are standouts among their peers because of their faith, those with humble hearts and who love to serve. Out of thousands of kids they see throughout the year, only 40 are selected for their summer drama teams. These students give up their own summer plans to travel on a team and minister through drama.

They report to South Carolina the first week of June, and spend two intensive weeks in “training camp,” learning and rehearsing their play, building their sets, etc. Then, the tours begin. Three teams (Midwest, Eastern and Southern) then depart for their respective tours where they remain until the second week of August, when all the teams return. The teams (ranging in size from 10-15 members) spend every day together, traveling and performing, from one city to the next, all summer long. It is a humbling, challenging, faith-strengthening, character-building, yet completely amazing experience. I know this because my son has had the privilege of traveling with them three different summers. By the end of each tour, the teams have become a family, and leaving to return home is always very hard. The experience of traveling on summer drama teams -- ministering, helping to bring people to Christ, staying in host homes and experiencing the Lord’s protection and provision for their needs is life-changing. The relationships my son has with his former teammates run so deep, he cherishes any opportunity to get together with them, when they are ministering in the area, or even just traveling through in remotely close proximity.

It is for this reason it’s such a joy to host these kids when they’re in town, like a couple of weeks back when they were here conducting a seminar for my son’s former high school. As my son has adopted them as siblings, so too my husband and I have adopted them as our kids. They, and the Academy of Arts hold an enormous place in our hearts, and today I want to offer special thanks and praise to the Lord for them.

To see other Thankful Thursday posts, join us at Sting my Heart.

May this Thursday find you thankful…
Tracy

P.S. If you’re interested in talking with the Academy about working with your school or home school group, or if your church would be interested in hosting a summer drama team performance, please see the website for contact information.