Deby DeSarro’s Mississippi Mudslide for Fat Tuesday

06 Saturday Feb 2010

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Fat Tuesday is just around the corner, the night preceding the forty days of Lent. Lent is a season to practice the discipline of fasting in the Catholic Church. 

Our family has seen astounding answers to difficult questions after we fast, pray and earnestly seek His will.  Please consider that Jesus said “when you fast,” not “if” you fast in Matthew 6:16. 

Fasting: the discipline of abstaining for a time from all or certain foods.  In the Bible, fasting often accompanies prayer for the purpose of intensive intercession, repentance, worship, or the seeking of guidance. (Grudem, Wayne, “Systematic Theology“ Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994, pg.1242)

The recipe was created by Deby, a native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  Hope Bible Fellowship  is blessed by this great woman of faith and prayer.  We are currently studying “Becoming a Woman of Simplicity” together.

Splurge your last night before your Lenten fast on this!

Crust:

2 cups chopped pecans

2 cups flour

1 cup powdered sugar

2 sticks melted butterfof

Mix together, spread in 13x9x2 pan, bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Cool.

Cream Filling:

1 8oz. pkg. soft cream cheese

1 box confectionary sugar

1 container cool whip.

Cover crust with this filling.

Chocolate Layer:

2 1/2 cups sugar

3 tbs. cornstarch

2 cups half & half

2 tbs. butter

3 tbs. cocoa

 5 egg yolks

pinch salt

1 tbs. vanilla

Mix all ingredients in top of double boiler. Cook on medium heat to soft-ball stage, (12 minutes) stirring frequently. Cool. Place chocolate filling on top of cream filling. Cover entire concoction whipped cream and shaved chocolate.

Earnestly Seeking Him,

Trish

The Wall Street Journal

16 Saturday Jan 2010

Posted by in Restful Homes for Our Families

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                                                                                                                                                          makedomondays

Our friends, the Adams, in Tucson (fellow frugalista’s) delivered their WSJ to Todd’s office faithfully for four years, a true blessing for our limited budget. When we moved I was unable to find any fellow readers who would save their recycled copies for me.  I asked around, but  no Austin version of the Adam’s family surfaced, so for Christmas this year I asked for a subscription to the WSJ.  I put it on the list, and low and behold the week of Christmas my own copies of WSJ began  arriving to my great surprise and enjoyment, a true gift from my in-laws who understood how strongly I wanted that specific gift.  

The Adam’s were selfless, generous in fact, giving of their time by saving and carrying copies faithfully each week they were in town.  They saved our family hundreds of dollars over the 4 1/2 years we lived in Arizona by sharing what they no longer needed.  All family members lugged the Journal in their Sunday best as a gift to our family.

How does one overcome selfish desires?

Sometimes watching others give selflessly of themselves or something they enjoy like television is helpful.  The Adams, Rod, Mary and there three children are a living  example to our family.  In addition to sharing their news papers, all of them serve the needs of the poor, especially folks who have somehow been marginalized medically, and do so in all the corners of the earth, especially in Kenya.

Thankful for living examples of Christ’s selfless love,

Trish

 

Gator Cookies

16 Saturday Jan 2010

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Florida Gator cookies                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    fofCheck out these delicious Gator Cookies by Deb and Tony.

We were invited over to watch their football alma mater play in a bowl game.  A new talent of  discovered – the gift of baking Florida Gator cookies, beautifully and fanatically decorated using toothpicks, white, blue and orange pastry tubes. Check out the lovely free-hand Gators.   Alton Brown of the Food Network was the source of their recipe and the sugar cookies for the Sugar Bowl were delicious.

Here is an equally nice recipe by Marilyn Southard.

1 lb. real butter

1 egg

1 oz. cream cheese

1 tsp. vanilla

2 c. sugar

1 c powdered sugar

6 cups of flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cream butter, egg, cream cheese and vanilla till fluffy.  Add sugars and flour.  Roll out and cut as needed into shapes… I love to cut this into squares to serve guests when they come for tea.  Bake 11-13 minutes.

Happy Food on Friday’s,

Trish

A Snapshot of Our First Year in Texas

01 Friday Jan 2010

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Today is January 1st and the house is very quiet.   I’m not scheduled to work until noon at the store where I am always impressed by the customers. They are always polite, kind and thankful, characteristic of the culture of kindness we have found here in Texas.  I have been contemplating past years, and started my reading through the Bible in a year plan again, simply enjoying a celebration of  the Savior of the world.  

Some people make cutting remarks, but the words of the wise bring healing.  Proverbs 11:18

He spoke to me through Genesis 1 and 2, Psalm 1, and finally the Message version of Matthew.   Last year was the fastest year of my life though it was the year I focused most on slowing down.  We have now been in Texas exactly one year and to sum up a snapshot of the culture here, we all agree in the Southard family, people here are “Texas friendly.” That’s not a put down of the many other very friendly places we have lived, but a compliment to the exceptional culture of respect found here.  Our daughter now says “Sir” and “Maam”…she picked it up in public school! 

God’s word says your soul is nourished when you are kind.  Proverbs 11:17

One of the kindest people I know is my daughter.  She lovingly cooks and prepares meals when I am not home, and sometimes even when I’m here. 

The photo is her preparation of  Egg Plant Parmesan.

Celebrating in Texas,

Trish

A Walgreens Christmas Dinner

28 Monday Dec 2009

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The Christmas season in a pastor’s home is always an active time, and this year is no exception, but our family planned ahead, purchased and shipped all our gifts early, and managed to send out one box of  Christmas cards to most of our family.  At  the store a memo was posted notifying us no time off would be granted in December — no need to ask.  With that the pace quickened as Christmas approached, and my part-time job became a full-time thing.   There was less time to prepare for Christmas than in previous years,  and we encountered a few unanticipated “opportunities” for faith and laughter, but it had been a fun-filled month of anticipation.   On the weekend before Christmas we had an Open House for young and old from our church, Todd’s folks arrived the twenty-third, the house was tolerably clean, and we waited excitedly for the Texas and North Carolina cousins to arrive.  And then…

“the night before It was Christmas and we were without…”, gifts needed wrapping, and the trip to the grocery store was fast disappearing.  My husband who had been down for the count sick for three days finally arose in the morning of Christmas Eve day with no voice, and it was looking like this year’s sermon would be retitled “Silent Night” and the Christmas story would be done in pantomime.    His voice recovered, a few packages got wrapped.  I dressed in my most festive attire and off to work I went at eight am.  Somewhere during the day my husband called to see if I would be up for going out to lunch.  I looked at my boss and asked her if I was crazy to go out given I only had a cooked Country Ham for Christmas dinner and was unable to find a Crown Roast at any local store.  I was still absent of the necessary sides for dinner. She and I concurred I must go and be carefree for a couple hours and “just shop later”…perhaps very quickly before our six pm Christmas service. Sounded like a good idea at the time.

The story picks up quickly at this point because with so many unwrapped presents, the only rule as every one wrapped that afternoon was that you could not wrap your own.  We ran out of wrapping paper at one point and began wrapping with scraps…a real patch job.  We then left at five for the service and decided a little run to the market after the service would have to do. 

Around eight pm Marilyn (Todd’s Mom) and I left for the one place we were sure would be open on Christmas eve.  I know you’ll shudder if I put the big box store name in print so we’ll leave it out and let you fill in the details.  We pulled into the parking lot just as the doors were being locked, lights turned off, and shoppers left the store, bags in hand.

Marilyn and I start to laugh hysterically as we and an army of late shoppers sped across the street to another grocer only to see the same thing unfold. My face went pale and my mind numb as I started envisioning my bare pantry and lonely, country ham — naked in the middle of my beautifully set table with nothing to dress it up. My mother-in-law was not phased and said “Trish we just need to find a 7-11, we’ll be fine, we’ll make-d0.”  The light bulb went on for me in that moment as I realized the Walgreens would be open.  Others would soon realize the same thing, and another stampede was about to begin.  The first ones to Walgreens would get the choicest crops from their canned goods aisle.  We sped off in a hurry…   

We leapt out of the car, grabbed one of the last carts available and there we were, standing in the canned goods aisle at Walgreens preparing Christmas dinner, laughing uncontrollably as Marilyn author of , Taste and See That The Lord Is Good ~ Psalm 34:8,  ( a published cookbook) creatively put together dishes from what was available for our Christmas Dinner.   

Our menu:

A jar of green olives and a can of black olives

Green beans and Campbell’s Mushroom soup (no French-fried onion available) home- made caramelized onions topped the dish

Peas and mushrooms

Au Gratin potatoes (from the box)

Corn pudding made with canned corn

Orange jello and crushed pineapple ( my daughter’s contribution)

Frozen Mrs. Smith pumpkin pies

Our Country Ham and Sweet potato biscuits from Smithfield, Virginia shipped earlier that month from the Southards. 

Don’t you all wish you were here for this delicious Christmas dinner from Walgreens.

Trish and Marilyn

A Christmas Devotion

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My family was leaving a Chinese restaurant after lunch on Christmas Eve in 2006.  A little boy about 9 years old asked his Mom if he was Jewish?  She said “No!” and the boy shouted back “RATS!”
He then asked “What I am?”  Mom’s reply was too soft to hear.  It was a teachable moment as we backed our car out of the parking lot. I asked our daughter the same question — “Who are you?”
I knew even before she answered she would say “Child of God,” because over the years we have sought to share our Christian faith and heritage with her, so that she may know she is fearfully and wonderfully created by God.  The map to who we are, where we are and come from,  must be communicated to our children, our neighbors, and our coworkers, those in our spheres of relationships as well as others who are not.

The Christmas season the world offers is a Retail Christmas.  Though exchanging gifts brings great joy, without Christ at the center it will not lead us anywhere closer to the true essence of Christ and His message, but become a distraction at the very time of the year we set a day aside to celebrate Immanuel — God with us.  Bumbling along in a haphazard existence will give our children a life with no identity, no sense of who they are, and open them up to other’s values and beliefs, man’s way and not God’s way.  They will not have a map of life.

In Barbara Tompkins Mom’s Class last year we made Jesse Tree‘s ornaments.   Our family systematically read through the story of Christ and hung ornaments on a small pink feather tree as our Christmas decorations were all packed and ready for our move the Texas the next week.  It was a comical tree with a serious message in those Jesse Tree ornaments, the story of God found in the Bible, a message of

God’s love and provision of redemption found in Jesus Christ.   

We are all unpacked this Christmas, and instead of the pink feathered tree, we are back to our home-grown artificial tree as we again tell the story of who we are in Christ by telling the story of God and his redemptive plan of salvation.  Each ornament symbolizes an accompanying Bible story that, with the help of the book The Advent Jesse Tree, Devotions for Children and Adults Preparing for the Coming of Christ Child at Christmas (Nashville: Abington Press) directs us to a daily story from the Bible and provides songs of praise to sing as a family.

As Christmas arrives our anticipation is toward the greatest gift God has given the world — the birth of Jesus the Christ, God’s own Son, Immanuel — God with us.  The Scriptures read throughout the month show us The Way, providing a clear and concise map of who we are, the identity we have in our Lord Jesus, the hope of glory.

Resting in Him,

Trish

Make do… Tucson Tuna Noodle

23 Monday Nov 2009

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Teddy Bear Cholla

We were out of mayonnaise and I decided to substitute the Marie’s Jalapeno Ranch and top with tortilla chips instead of the traditional Lay’s. The dish was quite a nice twist on the traditional, and my family real enjoyed the standby casserole on a chilly night.

1/2 jar of Marie’s Jalapeno Ranch

1/2 jar of Newman’s Own Alfredo Sauce

1 – 12 ounce can of Starkist Tuna drained well                                                                                         

makedomondays

1 box of noodles cooked ( I prefer bow tie pasta/ whole grain if available)

Mix well, and place in oiled pan topping with buttered,  hand crushed tortilla chips.  (Just throw a few dabs of butter here and there after you put the chips on top, and bake till golden @ 425 degrees.

Enjoy,

Trish                                                                                                                                                  

 

Patty’s Cakes

22 Sunday Nov 2009

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We ran out of flour so I made do with a substitution of 1 cup of “Hodgson Mill”, whole grain brown flax seed and 1/4 c of 100% whole grain whole oats.  The family raved about them, and we have now switched over on a permanent basis. 

1 c of whole grain brown flax seed

1/4 c of whole grain whole oats

2 ts baking powder

1 beaten egg

1 c milk

1 tbsp oil (your favorite)

2 tbsp sugar

Mix well till smooth, and allow to cook thoroughly on the griddle.  Take care when flipping and use two spatulas if possible.  Makes 8 small patty-cakes. 

Serve with a dash of sugar and a squeeze of lemon.

Flipping cakes,

Patty

aka Trish

Luddite

12 Thursday Nov 2009

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My cord broke on my laptop and I will be unable to blog till it arrives. By choice I’m not watching TV this year, but now without the internet I’ve become a Luddite, not by choice, but of circumstance.   I’ve been spending time watching a spider weave her web outside my kitchen window, and I’ve nicknamed her Charlotte Mason.  Ann Kroeker introduced me Charlotte Mason,  many years ago and in Ann’s book  “Not So Fast” she advocates that children spend 5-6 hours outside a day.

I’m not quite outside as I watch this magnificent red spider weave, but I’m moving in that direction.  How am I writing this particular blog you may ask?  Through the gracious sharing of a friend.

Slowing way down,

Trish

The Pumpkin who dressed up as a Sweet Potato ~ Margie’s Pumpkin Squares

23 Friday Oct 2009

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Here is the recipe for the delicious Autumn dessert that Margie Orr made for the church potluck.  I posted  a note on my wall asking who had made the tasty flavorful dish and no one fessed up.  I ran into Margie at the Women’s Retreat last weekend and she said very humbly it was hers and she gave me permission to share on my blog.  Margie is a lovely lady, beloved Sunday School teacher, mother of 4 grown children, and  volunteers as the Hope Treasurer.  All the flavors of fall, and  a colorful comfort-food that fooled me into tasting sweet potato when it was actually pumpkin.  Sweet!

fof

 

 
Pumpkin Pie Squares
 
1 c. flour
1/2 c. quick oatmeal
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. (1 stick) Imperial margarine (the only one I use)
 
Combine in a mixing bowl.  I use a pastry hook to mix well.  Pat on bottom of 13 x 9 inch pan.  Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.
 
While the crust is baking combine
 
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin
1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk
3/4 c. white sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
 
Mix well and then pour over crust when done.  Continue baking for 20 more minutes.
 
Combine 1/2 c. brown sugar and 1/2 c. ( about 2 1/4 oz) finely chopped pecans.  Sprinkle over pie filling then continue baking for 15 to 20 more minutes or until filling is set.  Cool in pan on rack.  Cut into 2 inch squares.  Top with a swirl of Cool Whip topping.  Makes about 2 dozen.
 
Enjoy.
 
Margie Orr