Amazing Grace

Today we celebrate Memorial Day.  We remember all those who have fought or who are fighting throughout the years.  MANY, many thanks to all who have served in the armed forces of America!  God bless you!

Today I was also thinking about my grandfathers and Michael's grandfathers, all of whom fought in a war, all of whom survived.  When I think about that, I think about our countless family members who are alive today because they survived.

You may think you are free because you live in America. 
You may think you are free because of all those soldiers who fought for our freedom.
But, are you really free?

Freedom is not really FREE.
It comes with a price.

My Lord and Savior paid the highest price for my sin when He gave His life for me so that I may have freedom from God's wrath. 
Amazing grace.

The Bible says in John 8:36 - "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. "

There is only One who can make you truly free. 
His name is Jesus. 
Do you know Him?
He can set you free.

Chicken Pie

It is more like Chicken Casserole, but we call it Chicken Pie. 

You will need:
3 chicken breasts
Salt & Pepper
2 cans of Cream of Chicken Soup
Milk
Butter
Pepperridge Farm Cornbread Stuffing

• Boil the chicken breasts until done.
• Shred up the chicken in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.
• Salt and Pepper the chicken to taste.
• Empty 2 cans of cream of chicken soup in a bowl.  Pour one of the empty cans full with milk.  Mix together.
• Pour that on top of the chicken.
• Melt 1 stick of butter in a pot.
• Stir cornbread stuffing in with the butter.
• Spread this buttered stuffing on top of the cream of chicken soup mixture.
• Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 30-40 minutes. 
• The buttered stuffing on top will get a little brown - that is when it is done.

You can add veggies to this mix.  I normally add green peas and carrots.  I buy frozen peas and fresh carrots.  I put the peas into a small pot and use a vegetable peeler on the carrots so they are super thin (they cook faster that way).  I put about a half cup of water in there and cook until that is done.  Then, I add it in with the cream of chicken soup mixture.

Enjoy!

Hot Ham and Cheese

Hot Ham and Cheese....  a simple favorite.  But, there's a little more to mine than slapping ham and cheese between bread and toasting it.

You will need: 
Bread
Black Forest deli ham  -  sliced super thin
American Cheese  -  get the white one.  The 'yellow' American cheese is colored with food dye.  And make sure it says 'American Cheese' not 'A product of cheese' on the label.
Butter  -  real, salted butter... not margarine.
Garlic powder
Honey Dijon Mustard
Cast Iron skillet, griddle, or whatever you got that is cast iron.

• Cut your bread a little thicker than a normal slice of bread.  Maybe 1 + 1/4 thick.
• Heat your cast iron on medium.
• Unwrap half of the stick of butter. 
• Smear that on the griddle. 
• Sprinkle a little garlic salt on the butter. 
• Place one slice of bread on top of the butter and garlic salt.
• Spread a thin coating of honey dijon mustard on this slice of bread. 
• Depending on how thick your cheese is sliced, you could use one, two or three slices of cheese. 
• Pile up as much ham as you like on top of the cheese.
• Spread a thin coating of honey dijon mustard on the second slice of bread.
• Place the second slice of bread on top.
• Using a metal spatula, when the first slice of bread is browned and the cheese is melty, pick up the sandwich.
• Smear more butter on the griddle.
• Sprinkle a little more garlic salt on the butter.
• Flip the sandwich over and toast the other side.
• When that side is browned, remove from cast iron.
• Place on your plate and cut in a diagonal shape making two triangles.  Well, okay, you can cut it whatever way you want.
• Enjoy!

Random Happenings

These past couple weeks, the weather has warmed up.  School is finished.  The girls are outside from breakfast until supper!  Here is some pictures of the recent happenings.

Michael has required exercise every week.  He went on a jog with the girls one morning.

Michael went to help some guys clean up around someone's home.  Out in the woods, Michael found some of these HUGE feathers.  The girls had a blast with them.  Michael even inserted the inside of a pen in one of the feathers so that he could do his homework with a feather pen (haha... joking).  He did make a feather pen though.  The girls loved writing with it.

GUESS WHAT!!!!!!!!!!! 

THE ICE-CREAM SHOP OPENED BACK UP!!!!!!!!!!

Hannah playing out on the playground.

We will be serving our summer ministry at the Inn.  We went to check out the places that were options for housing for us.  The girls played at the edge of the pond catching things.

Here is the cabin.

Here are the frogs.

Here is the crawdad that Michael caught.

We had a work day at the Inn.  We cleaned up around the Inn to get ready for the guests.  The girls and I helped out in the nursery.  We cleaned and painted.  The girls helped some, played some and caught another frog.

The Bible Institute had their end of the year Spring Banquet.  It was fun getting dressed up.

Us.

The girls.

And... we found a HUGE turtle walking across the road.

Pepperoni Pizza Twist

This recipe is one of our favorites.  It is an old Pampered Chef recipe from when I was a consultant.  It quickly became a keeper and I have been making this one for quite a few years now.

You can buy pizza dough in a can (blech....) or you can make your own pizza dough and pizza dipping sauce (Y.U.M.).

Make one reicpe of the pizza crust.

Divide your dough in half.

Roll into a long 'stick' shape.

Using a knife, cut about half way through the dough.  Using your fingers, gently pull the dough open and mash it out into a 'trough' shape.

Here is the recipe for the filling:

1 - 3.5 oz. package of pepperonis

1 cup of mozzarella cheese

2 Tablespoons of all purpose flour

1 garlic clove

1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning

You could can change this around to fit your family's favorite toppings.  If you do not use a meat, then omit the all purpose flour.  This flour just soaks up some of the oil.  You could cut back on the cheese also.

Fill the pizza dough 'troughs' with this filling.

Pick up the sides and wrap around the filling and pinch the dough together on top.

Flip the 'sticks' over so the seam is on the bottom.

Arrange in an X pattern to begin with.

'Twist' the ends.

Make a few little slices in the top so the entire thing does not explode.

Sprinkle with a little cheese.  The recipe calls for parmesan, I only have mozzerella - so I used mozzerella.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.

Serve with pizza sauce.