Congratulations & Blog Birthday Giveaway #4...

Greetings friends!  Once again...Congratulations are in order!  This time to...

Melissa Jo of MJP Photography and Melissa Jo's Recipes.  She is the keeper of two very artful & creative blogs!   I really enjoy her photography at MJP....if you're a fan of photography, you will too!  Is cooking more your style?  Then stop by and check out all she has to offer at her recipe blog!  In any case...please do stop by and say Hello & Congrats!

Thank you so much for your comments!  Some really good ideas for blessing others. = )  Thanks to all of you for always blessing ME, too! 

I've been saving the best for last!  I'll be posting about the final Giveaway later today (Thursday).  (You won't want to miss it!)

Congratulations & Blog Birthday Giveaway #3!

I'm happy to say the winner of Giveaway # 2 is...

Kristin of Fresh Water Words! 

Unlike many of my blog buddies, I have the distinct privilege of knowing Kristin in "real life!" = )  In fact, I've known her for many years...probably back to her elementary days when they moved to our area.  Later, she was in my middle school small group.  That's when I really got to know her best.  She is among Brennan & Breezy's closest friends and in fact, can be seen in their wedding photos!  She is a lovely and very talented young woman, currently pursuing a degree in photography.  She's done some really exciting and wonderful things in addition to photography, from working with Compassion Internation, designing graphic artwork for various organizations and even creating web sites, working closely with people like Bethany Dillon!  Pretty impressive for a 20-year-old!  The best part?  She's one of the most humble souls I've ever met.  Once again...Congrats Kristin!  = )  Please take a moment and stop by her blog.    

Now...onto the next giveaway!

A beautiful assortment of 24 all occassion notecards.  Birthday, thank you, sympathy, and "just because."   These are especially decorative, charming little cards, perfect to keep "on hand."    

AND

A wonderful candle by Bridgewater Candle Company called "White Cotton."  Reminds me of freshly laundered clothing fresh from the clothesline...a perfect fragrance for spring & summer! 

Are you like me, do you just love going to your mailbox finding an unexpected card or letter from a friend?  Don't get me wrong, I love technology and use e-mail and e-cards regularly, but I still love to both send and receive paper cards...especially when they're unexpected.  = )  Taking just a few moments to send a card could make such a difference in someone's day.  (If you've been blessed in this way, I suspect you know just what I mean.)  We're even told in Scripture, "encourage one another daily, while it is still today."  Hebrews 3:13.  Won't you join me in looking for an opportunity to bless someone unexpectedly?     

Leave a comment sharing something kind or encouraging someone has done for you, or something you plan to do (or have done in the past) for someone else.  In doing so, you might give the rest of us some really good ideas!  I read last year about a woman who decided to bless the person behind her at Starbucks by paying for their coffee at the drive-up window.  That person continued the blessing, as did the next one and the next one.  It carried on for over an hour!  Can you imagine!?  Let's go forth and bless someone today!

Giveaway will remain open until midnight (Eastern Time) Wednesday (3/10).  Winner will be drawn then and announced on Thursday morning! Here's hoping you win!  = )

Congratulations & Blog Birthday Giveaway #2!

First things first...

Congratulations to Heidi of Everyday Cookies!!! 

She was the winner of Giveaway #1...the women's devotional book and the ESV Bible with the celtic cross.  I only recently discovered her charming blog and I was so glad!  She is a wonderfully talented, creative, and Godly woman.  Please stop by and say Hello.  She shared her favorite verse, Proverbs 31:25:  "Strength and honor are her clothing; she shall rejoice in time to come." Heidi takes this verse to heart by "always facing tomorrow with a smile."  Now that's a woman I want to know better!  = )

Now, onto Giveaway #2!

A beautiful 4 x 6 frame from Mason Lane.  It's very substantial with lots of lovely detailing.  (It's crisp white, but could easily be accented with glaze should you so choose.)

AND

A new 8GB memory card! 

How do you enter?  Leave a comment sharing either your favorite photo subject OR tell me about your personal favorite photo.  Giveaway will remain open until midnight Monday (3/8).  Winner will be announced on Tuesday morning! 

Have a great weekend!  = )

2 Years Ago Today...

...I ventured into a whole new world...blog world!  It's been quite an adventure to say the very least.  Life-changing is more like it.  To this day, it staggers my imagination the paths I've been privileged to cross since that time.  While I believe God gave me the nudge to start "my cup runneth over" as a means for sharing joy and encouragement with others, He constantly turns that around and blesses me, too!     

Beyond countless things practical, there are other things I've learned through the course of my blog journey thus far:       

*  Friends I've never met face-to-face can occupy a huge place in my heart!

*  Some of the sweetest encouragers and most faithful prayer warriors I've ever known can be found here.

*  When something wonderful happens in my life, be it big or small, blog friends find great joy in celebrating with me.

*  I am privileged to know some extraordinarily gifted writers.

*  My walk with Christ is much stronger and deeper than it was two years ago, due in part to journeying alongside some amazing women of faith here.  

*  My life is unbelievably, unquestionably, undeservedly blessed.

Among the blogs I regularly read, 

*  some are devotional and reflective and challenge my faith;

*  some give ideas for showing kindness & encouraging others;

*  some celebrate and savor life's everyday blessings;

*  some demonstrate how to create a more loving & welcoming home;

*  some flow with creative ideas for crafting;

*  some pass along hints for cutting costs and saving money; 

*  some serve up tried and true recipes;

*  some share their glimpses of life thorugh a camera lens;

There are also a few that seem to cover many, if not all these areas, which is where I like to think of mine.  On any given day, you could see a post on any number of these topics.  Yet whether I'm sharing my favorite new recipe, a thrifty idea or a something I've learned studying the Word, it truly remains my hope that the joy of the Lord is demonsrated in everything I share. 

      

Now...let's celebrate!  I have put together a number of giveaways for the next week.  I'm so excited because I think (humbly, of course) they are really good!  They also cover of variety of different interests, so if one doesn't strike your fancy, perhaps another will!

First up...  

100 Days of Grace - a beautiful devotional book for women and a compact sized, ESV Bible embellished with a beautiful Celtic cross.  It's the perfect size for carrying in your purse! 

To enter, leave a comment sharing with me your favorite scripture.  I'll take comments through midnight (Eastern time) tomorrow, Friday (3/05).  Winner will be announced on Saturday morning with the posting of the next giveaway!  Here's hoping you win!  = ) 

December - A Review (better known as "Blog Posts I Intended to Write...")

It’s so hard to believe Christmas is now behind us and we’re just days away from ringing in the new year. It seems like just yesterday, it was Thanksgiving! There were many things I wanted to blog about during the month, but didn’t because of time constraints (and more often than not, I forgot to take photos!) Now that things are settling down, I wanted to share some of the highlights from our December. While this may will likely be world’s longest post, I hope you’ll find it worth the read…

• At the beginning of the month, I celebrated my 44th birthday. (You know it’s going to be a good birthday when your dear hubby serves you red velvet cake for breakfast!) Oh, I love that man! ; ) At work, I arrived to find cakes, cookies, chocolates and other goodies from my sweet co-workers. It was glorious! For dinner, Tom took me to one of our favorite local restaurants. It’s always a treat as they are known for outstanding food, and service that is second to none. (Even moreso when it’s a special occasion.) At the end of the meal, we were treated to a wonderful dessert, compliments of the owner. It was a lovely day!

• That weekend, Tom and I hosted the youth leaders of our church for a Christmas dinner. We used to serve with these great people and many are very good friends...we absolutely loved having them in our home…it was a great, great time!

• The following week…Christmas cards, baking and a little shopping.

• The second weekend was a busy one! Friday was an ornament exchange at work. It was great because several former co-workers returned and it was soooooo good to catch up. More baking on Saturday and that night, a surprise birthday party for our friend, Tracy Robertson. Yet another wonderful time (and I remembered my camera!)

On Sunday…our annual cookie exchange! Two friends who had taken part for years relocated since our last one - one to North Carolina and one to Ireland! Needless to say…we really missed them. We welcomed a couple of new friends this time, met for lunch, had a great time together and exchanged our cookies.

• It was also during this particular weekend that our local city officials were judging homes in our community for a Christmas decorating contest. For the second year in a row, our house was one of the winners! Tom had worked very hard and did a WONDERFUL job! I was thrilled for him because he absolutely LOVES Christmas! You need to know he never puts up lights to compete, instead it’s just an expression of joy (which makes winning even sweeter). The mayor and other city officials came to our house to present Tom with a plaque and a large, beautiful poinsettia.

Jesus, Mary & Joseph are on the porch, along with angels. On the far left, you can see the 3 wise men and on the far right, there is a shepherd tending his sheep. The photos below are the side and a little of the back yard.

Those candles were given to us by Tom's Mom. She used them for years at her house and they are truly vintage! We love them!

• Just a few short days later, our local newspaper featured Tom as one of four homeowners with beautiful Christmas light displays. As you can see, although we love all the whimsy of Christmas, first and foremost our display points to Christ. When the article was written, I was delighted to see the reporter made a point of highlighting that, both in photos and her story!

• Later in the week…it was time for more baking! We had set aside an evening and my Mom, my sister, Marcia and my niece Brooke all came over and we baked like crazy ladies! (As you can see from the photos...we take our baking very seriously! LOL) Several different kinds of cookies, buckeyes, candy, etc…soooo much fun!

• That weekend, two biggies…Tom narrated our church’s beautiful Christmas Program, “One of Us.” He did a great job, as did the choir and orchestra. It's been a couple of years since our church did a large Christmas program and we really enjoyed it. Later that same night…our kids arrived home! We could not wait to see them! Married life certainly agrees with both of them. We had a a great time “catching up” for an hour or so and planned a dinner together the following night. They’re so happy to be home and we’re thrilled to have them! Bless their hearts, they’re trying so hard to spend lots of quality time with BOTH sides of the family. = )

• The last few days before Christmas, more baking! This time - loaves and loaves of pumpkin bread, and also…this incredibly easy (and very addictive) snack, found on a great blog...Beneath my Heart!

• Since my first Christmas with Tom's family as his fiancée in 1983, we’ve spent Christmas Eve at the home of his sister, Nancy and her husband, Dan. They have a log cabin...so beautiful and cozy -- it’s hard to imagine being anywhere else. The fire in the stone fireplace and the Christmas decor make the house look extra special. We had a great time and if you saw the slides in the previous post, you know that the hit of the night was the digital frame we got for Bob & Millie. Nancy had compiled photos from all of us and grouped them into decades. There were over 300 of them! Bob and Millie absolutely loved it, as did the rest of the family. It was especially fun to watch Breezy as she saw many of her new family members as they looked “back then.”

After Nancy & Dan's, we came back to our house to celebrate “Our Christmas” with Brennan & Breezy. We had such a sweet time together and they absolutely loved their gifts. They surprised us with a beautiful wedding portrait. LOVE it!

• Christmas Morning at our house was quiet. Had my devotional time and then after a little while, finished wrapping a couple of things and we headed to my parents’ house to celebrate with my side of the family in the early afternoon. We enjoyed delicious lasagna and homemade lemon meringue pie, cheesecake, cookies, etc. (I love my Mom's cooking, but especially her desserts!)

As to our gift exchange, we did things differently this year. Because we’ve all felt the pinch economically, we opted to forego the usual gifts and instead each person brought only 1 gift valued at $10-15. They all went into a pile in the middle of the floor and we drew numbers to determine the order. You could choose a gift, but the person after you could either take it or choose a new one. Our family had an absolute blast with this! There were movie certificates, blockbuster certificates, gift cards for food, ice cream, Starbucks and even some board games in the mix. Besides spending only about 15% of what we normally would, there was so much less stress and time spent running all over town looking for this or that gift, which made for a much calmer, more reflective Christmas. Definitely helped me keep my focus on Christ like never before.

As we wrapped up our time at my parents' house, we headed to my in-laws to once again join the rest of his family for a little while on Christmas night. Every year, as we leave their house to head home, Tom and I simultaneously thank God for granting us yet another Christmas with them. Both his Mom & Dad are in their upper 80’s and every year is truly a gift.

• Saturday evening (the night after Christmas), Tom and I went along with Brennan, Bri, Bri’s Mom, Lisa and our friends, the Robertsons to Bethlehem Blessings at the Creation Museum. Despite very cold temps, we really enjoyed our time together there…we were especially partial to the vignette of Jesus, Mary and Joseph (played by a wonderful family friend) and the live animals.

• Sunday was a day of rest! (And boy, did we need that!) Hope you and yours have had a wonderful and special December celebrating CHRIST and making some great memories with family and friends.

• If you’ve made it this far and you’re still reading…I want to say THANKS! Leave a comment and you’ll be entered into a drawing for a $10 St*rbucks gift card (a Merry Christmas gift from me!) If you share your favorite December memory in your comment, I’ll enter your name twice! Feel free to enter up until midnight (Eastern time) New Year’s Eve…I’ll draw and announce the winner on New Year’s Day!

Love & sweet blessings!
Tracy

Great Food, Special Friends, Happy Hearts

Hope you and yours had a lovely weekend! We had a wonderful time Saturday night at the home of our friends, the Robertsons. They are an absolutely delightful family and we always enjoy time spent with them, so we had very much looked forward to getting together.

For dinner, they had planned pizza on the grill, something completely new to me. The Robertsons (and others I've since spoken to) have been doing it for some time. I love pizza in almost any form, so I couldn't wait to try it!

When we arrived, Tracy was busy preparing the dough...


A few moments later, after a light toasting on the grill, they were ready for toppings...

There were a huge array of toppings, including many veggies and herbs fresh from their garden. Here is Anna, showing us how it's done...

A layer of cheese and then they went back on the grill under Dale's skillful hand. (Too bad this isn't "smell-o-vision." The aroma was heavenly.)

Voila! The finished product!

Some were not only a feast for the tummy, but for the eyes, as well. Look at the beautiful array of toppings on this one...DELICIOUS!

I absolutely loved the pizza made this way and would love to try it on my own. It was great fun to do this with a group of people. = )

A little later, it was was time for dessert. Oh.my.goodness! True to form, they had not one, but three desserts...everyone of which was exceptional. First, my all-time favorite, pumpkin roll made by Tracy (be still my heart!)

Then, an amazing berry trifle, made by Brittany...

And lastly, some of the best chocolate cake I've ever had, made by Rachel.

The rest of the evening was spent on their beautiful back porch. Unseasonably cool temps and the glow of candlelight provided the perfect atmosphere for sharing stories and lots of laughter with these special friends. A wonderful evening, indeed. = )

Make New Friends But Keep the Old...One is Silver But the Other is Gold

This past Sunday brought a sweet reunion with a friend I hadn’t seen for six years. It was wonderful! Our "lunch" together stretched into several hours of “catching up.” (Truth is, we could have kept on talking, but dinner was fast approaching!)

Angela and I met waaaaay back in 6th or 7th grade at church. She was the first girl who befriended me there. I actually remember thinking she was really pretty and wondering if she was nice. I was so happy to discover she was in fact, nice and she wanted to be my friend. = ) (Something else I vividly remember was her incredibly cool "I'm a Pepper” shirt…LOL).

We were different in as many ways as we were alike, yet still became great friends. Throughout middle school, we went to GA’s and Sunday school together, and though we attended rival high schools, went to youth group together, as well. We shared phone chats, mission trips, youth choir, sleepovers and double-dates. We were there for one another’s weddings, worked and carpooled together, shared countless conversations over lunch and breakfast and walked with one another through some difficult journeys. As life continued on, there were sometimes weeks or months between contacts, but we’d always pick up right where we left off.

A few years back, as Brennan was heading into high school and we were in the midst of caring for Tom’s Aunt Helen, Angela had a new baby, and not long thereafter her family moved out of the immediate area. For the first time, we lost touch with one another. A year or so later, she contacted me by e-mail asking if we could get together. It was an especially challenging time. Between Aunt Helen's increasing needs, work, Brennan's activities and assisting in youth group, we felt stretched to our limit. I planned to write her and explain that though I'd love to see her, it was a really bad time, but I kept putting it off. Weeks turned into months and then months to years. I truly missed her and wondered how she was doing, but felt ashamed for never getting back to her, and then for letting all that time slip by with no contact.

A couple of years ago, I joined Facebook and began hearing from some old high school friends. By now, life had settled down substantially and I was truly hoping Angela and I would cross paths. I searched for her (on Facebook) several times, with no success. Then, last month, I returned from vacation to find a "friend request” waiting. It was from ANGELA!!! I was thrilled. Immediately I wrote to her and we began “catching up.” It broke my heart to learn that all that time, she thought I was upset or angry with her. I assured her nothing could be further from the truth. We immediately began planning for our reunion lunch and set the date. I literally couldn’t wait.

Our time together on Sunday was great, just as I had hoped. She is such a treasure. I sat across the table from her as we reminisced and shared with a renewed appreciation for her dear friendship. How I had missed her (especially her laugh!) I'm now more determined than ever to cherish her and our friendship in the years to come.

I headed home from our lunch with a full and grateful heart. Grateful she cared enough to search for me and make contact again, and especially to the God who knit our hearts together all those years ago.

"Who finds a faithful friend, finds a treasure." Jewish Proverb.

Blessed Be the Tie that Binds

Last week, we were incredibly privileged to spend an evening with some of the dearest people in all the world! It was a gathering of former youth group staff and their families, as well as members of our praise band (nearly 70 people!) for a truly special occassion. Our former youth pastor, his wife and their children were home from the mission field in Ireland!

Pastor Mark (affectionately known as "PM"), Andrea and their children left for Ireland a little over two years ago. Although several friends have made the trip to Ireland to visit them, we weren't expecting to see their family here in the states for several years when they would be on furlough.

PM and Andrea had a thriving youth mininistry in our church. God used his incredible gifts of teaching and worship to influence scores of teens over the years. Andrea is one of the most supportive and loving ministry wives I've ever known. She too has such a heart for others, teens and adults alike...an amazing encourager. When she hugs you, you have been hugged! (Do you know what I mean?) They are both so well loved by so many.

Tom and I were absolutely privileged to be a part of youth staff for several years, and we wouldn't trade those years for anything. The insight it gave into PM's heart was incredible. When he shared several years ago how the Lord was leading them toward missions, we were thrilled and heartbroken all at once. For more than two years, they made necessary preparations to transition their family into life in Ireland.

God began working through them almost immediately in a number of ways. Though "ministry" there looks entirely different than ministry here, they are more convinced than ever they are exactly where God wants them. Their school age children have adjusted beautifully. Both PM and Andrea say there is no place they'd rather be serving.

PM sharing some stories about how God is moving in Ireland.

Andrea, Baby Kate and Aisling. Would you believe this beautiful girl is from their college cell group in Ireland?! Aisling is an absolute delight. She knew that PM and Andrea were planning a trip home. She didn't tell them she too was preparing for her own visit to "the states" and instead surprised them by being there that night, as well! Amazing!

The joy and laughter that filled the air was unforgettable. (We didn't want to leave!) The really beautiful thing about that evening? For those few hours, it was as if they had never left. God has knit these hearts together with ties that truly bind.

Rick (soon to be joining PM in ministry with his family in Ireland), PM, former praise band member & friend, Micah, my husband, Tom.

Long time, beloved youth leader, Lori, Brenda (also home for a few weeks from Shanghai where her husband works and where she has a wonderful ministry to women) and Julie (who serves our junior high with her husband)

Jared & Josh -- these two can do just about anything and they were key to PM's ministry with the youth group. They created event videos, ran power point, sound board, you name it. They're both great guys and truly humble servants.

Alex with her parents, long-time, well-loved youth leaders, Janelle & Todd

Two more beloved former youth staff member, Tracy & Steve

After an amazing time of fellowship, PM joined up with two former praise band members (our friend, Dave and our son, Brennan) and played praise music for a couple of hours. It was incredible to be able to worship with him again.

PM & Andrea's precious daughter, Aislinn. We were completely captivated by her during praise & worship. She knew every word!

Another very special couple and the hosts for this wonderful celebration,
Tim & Lori

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Blest be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian love;
The fellowship of kindred minds
Is like to that above.

Before our Father’s throne
We pour our ardent prayers;
Our fears, our hopes, our aims are one
Our comforts and our cares.

We share each other’s woes,
Our mutual burdens bear;
And often for each other flows
The sympathizing tear.

When we asunder part,
It gives us inward pain;
But we shall still be joined in heart,
And hope to meet again.

This glorious hope revives
Our courage by the way;
While each in expectation lives,
And longs to see the day.

From sorrow, toil and pain,
And sin, we shall be free,
And perfect love and friendship reign
Through all eternity.

Weigh-In Results...

I only have a minute. Just wanted to drop a quick note to let you know…I met my goal!!!! Praise God!!! In fact, not only did I meet the goal, but surpassed it by another pound! I’m giving glory to God because He’s helped me every step of this journey since its beginning back in September. Thank you for your sweet words of encouragement! They definitely helped give me a little extra push these last few days. I’ll share more soon about the journey but for now, I’m rejoicing! = )

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!)