Sometimes Even Grapes Need A Few Good Accessories...

Like most everyone else right now, our budget is tight.  Even though we make a lot of lifestyle choices to keep our monthly expenses down, one of the main areas that drains us is food and groceries.  In the past few years, we have greatly cut back on eating out which saves us lots of money...but I also spend a grand fortune at the grocery store every time I go!  Sometimes I want to cry when they give me the final total, and stare at my receipt in disbelief when I get in the car to go home! (Anyone else been there?)


Groceries aren't getting any cheaper so I am trying to do better at using up what I have...admittedly, I am one to sometimes buy things with good intentions and then have to throw them away when they go bad before I used them, or make a good, large meal and eat it for a day or two, then let the rest go to waste.  Trying to work on these bad habits....


I was browsing through my new favorite cookbook (Cooking With Grace by Point of Grace, who many of you know as favorite Christian recording artists) and found a recipe for a grape salad that looked interesting.  I happened to have a little bit of everything left in my refrigerator and pantry that the recipe called for so I was able to use up some things in a creative way that turned out to be delicious!!  I was a bit short on pecans, so I used what I had then used some walnuts I had on hand also - nothing wrong with extra nuts in my opinion.  The more the merrier, especially when served with fruit!


I'll share the recipe, and I highly recommend you go out to your local Christian bookstore and buy this cookbook. It is awesome.  And ya'll, this salad is so good I had to stop myself from eating the whole batch!!  It's basically grapes with some really good accessories. Yum.  Here goes...

"Karri's Great Grape Salad"


Mix together 4 oz softened cream cheese, 4 oz sour cream, and 1 tsp vanilla. Add 2 cups of halved red and green grapes and mix well.  Pour into 8 x 8 dish (I used a round Corningware dish).  Mix 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup chopped pecans (or in my case about 1/4 cup pecans and 1/2 cup walnuts) and cover entire grape mixture.  Chill for at least an hour, then serve.



I put mine in a teacup, and let's just say I had a few "refills."  This salad would be PERFECT for a bridal or baby shower, or any ladies luncheon or women's event.  The recipe said you could double it and serve in a 9 x 13 dish, and judging from the amount I ate,  I'm thinking that would be a good idea.

Thanks Point of Grace cookbook for the recipe!  What a great find, all from trying to use up what I had and not be wasteful! Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I did, and if you find time to whip up a batch, as you savor the flavor meditate on this...


Psalm 34:8 "O taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man (or woman) who trusts in Him."

Monday Meal Makeover!!!

This morning I took a small roast out of the refrigerator that I had bought the other day at Publix because the size and the price were just right for our little family.  I drizzled olive oil in a pan and turned the heat to high,  seasoned that piece of meat very generously, and then seared it until the outside was just how I like it.  I chopped up some onion, sweet potatoes,  and regular potatoes; opened a bag of carrots; pulled out the garlic, sea salt, cream of mushroom soup, and Worcestershire sauce (which I did not know how to spell until I just now googled it, good grief) and put everything in my crock pot to happily cook the day away.

I love cooking roasts in the crock pot.  Yum.

I wanted to make a casserole type dish to go along with this meal, and I had found a recipe in my new Point of Grace cookbook (yes, the Christian singing group put one out - I bought it recently at a ladies event at our church).  It was called Swiss Vegetable Casserole...I modified it just a bit, but let me tell you, it was really good and a nice change from the usual side dishes I tend to always make.  Jimmy, Madi, and I all thought it was a hit so I thought I'd share in case any of you out there are needing a fresh change of pace at mealtime!

16 oz California blend veggie mix thawed and drained (this was perfect because I had one in my freezer that had been sitting there forever but I had no motivation to use it...sometimes veggies are like people, every once in awhile they need to be taken out and dressed up or things get boring) P.S. I also added a bag of frozen peas I needed to use because oddly enough my family likes peas


1 can cream of mushroom soup (I used cream of chicken because it goes over better with the kiddos)


1 cup shredded Swiss cheese (I think the Swiss is one of the things that makes this dish unique, but I used the whole bag because come on people, one cup of cheese??)


1/2 cup sour cream (that I borrowed from my friend Miss Linda because I did not want to go the store again)


4 oz jar pimentos (that I left out because I would be the only one who would like them, sigh)


1 can (2.8 oz) French Fried Onions (except I used the big daddy 6 oz can because when it comes to French Fried Onions, I say go big or go home)


Preheat oven to 350.  Combine veggies, soup, 1/2 swiss cheese, sour cream, pimentos (if you're lucky), and 1/2 the onions (oops, I just saw this, totally did not do that...now how on earth were they going to cover this casserole with half of a 2.8 oz can of fried onions????).  Pour into 1 qt baking dish.  Bake covered for 30 minutes (also missed the memo on covered, but didn't seem to matter).  Uncover and top with remaining cheese and onions.  Bake uncovered 5-10 more minutes or until top is brown.

When you are done it will look like this...

And you will hopefully have happy eaters!

We sat down to this...

....along with some garlic breadsticks and grapes and applesauce for the kids.

We had a meal where everyone pretty much ate everything (except my 3 year old who didn't want to try the casserole which I understood), no one cried, no one had to be punished or forced to eat, and all was well with the world for once at dinnertime, lol!  Yay!.

For the Love of Stein Mart

When my mom was working for the House of Representatives in DC, she worked with a charming Southern lady maybe a decade her senior named Emily. Emily always had the best recipes, the best decorating ideas, the best party suggestions...and she also spoke of a faraway place called Stein Mart, which seemed to be a magical land where the perfect finds were found.


To be honest, my mom initially misjudged the place because she linked the name Stein Mart to other "Marts" that were less impressive in her opinion such as Walmart, Kmart, and the local dive J-mart (which my brother loved for its cheesesteaks but my mom just wasn't sold - my old Bowie friends know the legend of which I write!)


Anyway, she found out that though we didn't have any Stein Marts in Maryland, there was one around the beltway in Northern Virginia which happened to be near a restaurant she and my dad loved...and many in Florida which we began to frequent on our visits to family down South. I distinctly remember the time I flew down to meet my parents in Florida while Jimmy was on trip and I had my first trip to a Stein Mart which was in Clearwater Beach...I was instantly hooked, and still have the pink plaid faux Burberry jacket I got on that memorable day at what I now agree is a magical place with perfect finds just waiting to be found.


Almost any time we have female visitors from Maryland come down, we head to Stein Mart and spend HOURS browsing...there is just so much to look at!! The prices are good, and on top of that there are always dot sales and extra coupons, and much of the merchandise is unique and just plain fun!


A few weeks ago I went BY MYSELF to Stein Mart (a solo trip anywhere is rare these days - so how cool is that??!!) and had so much fun browsing. I picked up a few things that are evidence of why I just plain love the place...


First, I found earrings that combine my long time love of pearls and passion for big, chandelier type earrings....

Then I found a sign that made me chuckle...

And napkins that said it all.

I recently stole away with my husband for a night, and I posted a picture on my facebook page from our quick beach getaway, and everyone commented on my dress. Where did I get it?

Stein Mart, of course. With a coupon. :)

Put Some South In Your Mouth!!!

So, I'm a Mid-Atlantic girl who grew up with church friends and family with Southern roots...though Eastern Shore corn on the cob and piles of crabs and shrimp doused in Old Bay will always have my heart, I grew up with a mom who cooked anything and everything, including Southern fare for my central Florida raised dad. He liked his tea sweet, his eggs dipped in grits, and biscuits with chocolate gravy for a special breakfast. And he LOVED fried okra.

Growing up, fried okra was a treat when we visited Southern friends and family and someone made a "spread," or when we stopped at a Cracker Barrel on 95 on the way down. Splash those breaded and fried babies with some hot sauce and yum, we had put some South in our mouth!

However, it wasn't until our recent ladies event at church that I discovered something that just might have changed my life...not only is there fried okra, there is pickled okra, and it is "de-wicious," to quote my three year old boy!

I was browsing the buffet that night when I saw something wrapped in ham and cream cheese - little did I know that it was pickled okra - and it took just one bite for me to fall in love and take another...and another....and another....in the end I ate more of those ham/cream cheese/okra rolls than I could count! I didn't even know what I was eating until I found out who had brought them (my friend Cindy), and asked her what was in them.

Yesterday I made a run to Publix (another Southern gem) and what did I find but pickled okra! I knew I had some cream cheese in the fridge and Hillshire Farms ham was on sale - so girlfriends, I went home and made myself some of those okra rolls for lunch and washed them down with some Publix tea!!

If you are looking to put some South in your mouth, I'd recommend you do the same - and let me know what you think!!

Joy in Today

Psalm 16:11 "You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In your right hand there are pleasures forever."

Two weeks ago, I traveled to a church in Georgia to speak about "Cultivating and Preserving a Joyful Heart" at a women's retreat. The topic of joy has been on my heart for some time now...

I try to do my best to choose joy in each day. My life, like yours, is certainly filled with harried moments, stressful situations, unending tasks, and sometimes overwhelming schedule commitments. Since these are mostly unavoidable, I try to accept them for what they are, handle them as they come, and intentionally look for the beautiful, joy-filled moments God sprinkles among the stressful or mundane.

With my personality, some days this comes rather easily...however, other days circumstances make this admittedly a more challenging task! Whatever the day holds, I purposely make an effort to look for some joy, and can usually find it thanks to a gracious and generous God.

And there was certainly joy in today!

I had a strawberry sweetened, powdered sugar-sprinkled morning with my daughter. I decided I would teach her how to make French toast, which turned into a fun ordeal! Still wearing her lavender cowgirl pajamas, she fastened on her cupcake apron sent to her by our friend Laurie in Maryland and got to work. She helped me whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla, nutmeg, and cinnamon, stopping to inhale the aromatic scent of the vanilla extract she had poured in the mixing bowl. I got out "real" dishes and she set the table, deciding we were not just going to eat breakfast, but that she was going to serve us breakfast in a "restaurant." My husband had given me roses earlier in the week, so those graced the middle of the table that was soon surrounded by butter yellow and sage green dishes. As I pulled the French toast off the griddle, she had the pleasure of shaking powdered sugar over each piece and putting slices of fresh strawberries on top. I showed her how to drizzle the syrup so it was not just tasty but pretty. Soon, her restaurant was ready to serve our family a delicious breakfast that was prepared out of learning and love.

That breakfast was joy in today.

I then decided to take the kids to the local public library for their kids program. I had heard it was excellent, but hadn't been yet as I was waiting for my son to be a bit older and more, um, manageable in quiet situations! To our surprise, they were having an outdoor Easter egg hunt and snack time today! I was unprepared without baskets, but they had extra plastic bags and my kids had a ball searching hedges for brightly colored eggs containing treasures. The weather was gorgeous as they ran under huge old oak trees covered in Spanish moss that was swaying in the breeze. After the Easter egg hunt, we went inside and they each got their very own library card!! With these new treasures, we were able to bring home several books and two Disney movies in VHS that are unavailable for purchase in stores right now.

That trip to the library was joy in today.

After we came home and ate lunch, they settled in to watch the old movies we had borrowed, and I got a chance to prepare cookie dough from a new Williams Sonoma recipe. It was an involved, messy process but I was uninterrupted as my kids were transfixed by the wonders of Disney, and I enjoyed the chance to watch my own magic as the KitchenAid mixer transformed butter, cream cheese, sugar, and other such rich ingredients into a dough that is now chilling in my refrigerator waiting for my kids and me to turn it into Easter cookies.

That time to bake was joy in today.

The thing is, if we stop to look for it, we can usually find something to bring us joy, something that evokes beauty, something that demonstrates the creativity and love of our God. Even on bad days, there is usually some sliver of good to be found or joy to be discovered because it is a day given to us by a loving God.

Psalm 118:24 "This is the day which the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it."

There was joy in today, and there will be joy in tomorrow...let's look for it together.

With Joy,

Jennifer

"Do I Got Issues?"

My son always has the best lines.

Yesterday he came out with another one that we will be quoting for awhile, I'm sure.

So, as you all know from a recent post, he is not potty-trained even though he turned 3 a few months ago. Evidently I have no clue how to potty-train a boy, or he is just not ready, or something.

At least we're in Pull-Ups. For while he cried at the thought of those!

Back to the story. Because he doesn't go potty yet, I still have to change his Pull-Ups. And that was exactly what I was doing when his latest and greatest quote came out. This particular Pull-Up change was, um, extra not fun. As I was doing the dirty work, I sort of sighed and said, "Oh, Trevor..."

And then that brown-eyed cutie looked up at me and said with all sincerity...

"What? Do I got issues??"

I cracked up, of course. It was so stinkin' funny (pardon the pun)!! Oh, Trev. Yes, honey, you have issues.

But don't we all!

Take me for instance. My house somehow always needs to be picked up, even if I have just spent an hour picking it up. I am almost always late to Sunday School, no matter how hard I try to be on time. Sometimes I let people's criticism or negativity rule my thoughts and shift my focus from where it needs to be. My left shoulder has completely sunk in, leaving me me with little strength or dexterity in that arm. And did I mention I still need to potty-train my son? (Oh yeah, I did.)

Yep, "I got issues." And so do you.

But thankfully, I know the one true God who can exchange ashes for beauty, mourning for gladness, and a spirit of despair for a garment of praise (Isaiah 61:3). I can only imagine what beautiful mosaic He can make of my pile of issues! So thankful I know this amazing, compassionate, transforming God!

And so hopeful today that you know Him too.

Well Said, Mr. Lewis!

C.S. Lewis said, "You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me."

Well said, Mr. Lewis!

Two of the joys of my life are drinking tea and reading books.

In fact, having a day to myself with unlimited tea to drink and unlimited time to read sounds like a dream! Can you imagine such a day? I think somewhere in my former life I used to have these occasionally, but not so much anymore since a certain two children came along. Maybe I'll ask for a day like that for my birthday...!

Despite the busyness of motherhood, I still manage to squeeze in regular time to read. It may be done in fragments, but it remains an important part of my life. Actually, I am still often in the middle of several books at a time!

I recently read three books, each completely different from each other, that I really enjoyed and thought I'd recommend to any fellow book lovers out there.

Take Two by Karen Kingsbury

This is the second in the Above the Line series, and it explores issues like trying to live a consistent Christian life and make an impact in Hollywood, facing temptation on a college campus, overeating as a result of stress, the confusion falling in love can bring, and more - but all while telling an engaging, entertaining story. As usual, Karen Kingsbury weaves Biblical principles into her characters and story lines, making it inspirational as well as enjoyable. I have read all the different series that led up to this one, and have grown to love the characters that remain in the background of this particular series and am enjoying getting to know the new ones.

A Year of Blind Dates by Megan Carson

I picked this up at the Christian bookstore because the title intrigued me, and I finished it in a mere few hours. It was engaging from the start as it followed Megan, a nearly 30 year old single who previously only had one relationship, through a year of blind dates thanks to a very expensive and "reputable" dating service in town. I literally laughed out loud several times along the way, but the book was not just funny but often touching, sometimes sad, and in the end, inspiring. It's a quick, fun read that makes you think about what a single girl in today's world is up against trying to hold out for a godly man. While you, like I, may not agree with every move she makes along the way, I think in the end you'll be rooting for Megan, yourself, or your single girlfriends who are still waiting for a wonderful man of faith to come along while experiencing much personal growth and increased trust in God during the dating/waiting process.

12 Steps to Becoming a More Organized Mom by Lane P. Jordan

My mom gave me this awhile ago, and I am constantly picking it up and re-reading bits and pieces of it. While much of the information in this book is familiar, it is nice to be reminded that other women out there are trying to juggle marriage, motherhood, work, chores, relationships, finances, etc. This book gives practical, Biblical advice for all these areas of life and more! It is encouraging and motivational, challenging us women to gain balance in our busy lives, but the challenge is given with a tremendous measure of grace from someone who has been there. Since I am constantly struggling with organization and balance(sigh), I really enjoyed this one am sure I will continue to go back to it again and again when I need a little loving motivation!

So there you go, three good books to check out- one novel, one account, and one resource!

Oh, and just for the record, the Bridal Tea (purchased at the Camellia Rose Team Room) and the Godiva Dark Chocolate Almonds (given to me, but purchased at Steinmart) pictured in the photo were good picks as well!

Happy tea drinking and book reading!

(P.S. And I bet Mr. Lewis would completely approve of enjoying some Godiva for good measure...)