Wild Rice Soup

Are you wondering what to make with the leftover turkey?

How about Wild Rice Soup!

Mix 1 cup uncooked wild rice with 3 cups chicken broth.  Bake at 350 degrees in a covered casserole for 1.5 hours or until the rice pops open.  I cooked mine up the day before Thanksgiving and stored in the fridge.

Melt 1/2 cup butter in 4-5 quart pan.  Saute 1 large diced onion, 1 cup chopped celery, and 1 cup sliced carrots.

Cut approximately 2 cups of turkey and add to vegetable mixture.

Gradually blend in 1 cup flour. 

Slowly add 5 cups chicken broth and wild rice.  Heat thoroughly.  Add 1 cup Half and Half and reheat but do not boil.

Amazingly good....

I Think I Can...

The Dog was at wits end for a couple of days last week.

Over and over he circled around the cupboard.

 If The Dog could talk, I think he would be saying...

I think I can reach it...

The bread I had drying for our Thanksgiving stuffing.
Was, oh so tempting, to The Dog.

He would jump and jump and jump trying to knock the tray down.

He didn't make it.  Thankfully.

Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!

Here is the read of the original Thanksgiving story:  Click here first and then come back to read about how Thanksgiving became a National Holiday!. 

Be amazed and be oh so thankful today!  And every day...

Thanksgiving - the Beginning

Click HERE to read about the first Thanksgiving...

Thanksgiving Campaign

I'm linking to my post from last year.  There is so much history in the Thanksgiving celebration and much that I was unaware of from my schooling.  Last year I did some research and was astonished at details I found.

Please take some to read through the next few days worth of posts to learn about the real Pilgrims and the choices they made.

Thanksgiving Post !

Wash Your Hands, PLEASE!

Norovirus has gone through Kidlet Three's school this past week. 

Norovirus has also been called "The Cruise Ship Virus".

The virus has made all the passengers and staff on cruise ships sick.

It is highly contagious and spreads like pollen in the wind.

And this week it was introduced to over 1200 sixth through eighth graders and the staff.

How does this virus start?

BY NOT WASHING YOUR HANDS AFTER YOU USE THE BATHROOM!!

Kidlet Three was sick for 2.5 days this past week.

With diabetes, it is more of a struggle for him to recover.

And I'm a little upset. 

Because this all started from someone NOT WASHING THEIR HANDS AFTER THEY USED THE BATHROOM!

I've had this virus.  A couple of years ago a group of us had dinner at a restaurant in our City.  Of the 25 people in our party, as least 10 of us got sick.  Norovirus!

It is a disgusting virus.

So, please..hear me when I beg and plead with you...

WASH YOUR HANDS AFTER YOU USE THE BATHROOM!!!

Thank You!

Apple Crisp - 6 Points Plus

This apple crisp is delicious.  The recipe is from the Weight Watcher web site.  My family didn't know they were eating "points plus" when they snarfed down a healthy dessert!

4 large apple(s), peeled, cored, cut into 1/8-inch slices (6 cups sliced apples)
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup(s) packed light brown sugar, divided
6 tsp Tapioca, or other brand
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg, or freshly grated nutmeg (fresh preferred)
1/2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
4 Tbsp regular butter, melted

Peel apples.

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Place rack in bottom third to middle of oven.

In a large bowl, toss together apple slices, lemon juice, 1/4 cup sugar (I used Splenda), tapioca, cinnamon and nutmeg; let stand for about 30 minutes.

Spoon apple mixture into an ungreased 9-inch square baking dish, or glass or ceramic pie plate; cover loosely with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.




Meanwhile, to make topping, in a small bowl, combine flour with remaining 1/2 cup of sugar; mix until completely blended. Add melted butter; work in thoroughly with fingertips.

After pie has baked for 30 minutes, remove from oven and discard foil. Sprinkle topping over apples and bake, uncovered, until apples bubble and topping turns golden, about 35 to 45 minutes.


Cool at least 2 hours before serving. Slice into 8 pieces and serve. Yields 1 slice per serving


You will be amazed at how quickly this disappears!

Challenged, Humbled and Changed

During my week there are a few blogs that I read.  A couple of them are linked on the right side of my page.  This week as I have been reading blogs, I've been challenged, humbled and changed.

See, a few of my favorite bloggers are together on a trip in Ecuador for Compassion International.  They are bringing God to children and families in a part of the world that does not have the material blessings that we have.  Most of these families have a hut, clothing, and whatever food they can afford day by day.

As I have been reading the daily updates, memories of my past Bring-God-To-Those-That-Haven't-Heard trips have been rapidly flashing through my mind.  It has been my honor to travel to the Dominican Republic and to inner Mexico several times.  On each trip I have been challenged, humbled and changed.

Here are a few pictures from my last trip to Mexico.  Many of the children have never seen a picture of themselves so we brought Polaroid cameras along so they could have an instant photo of themselves!  Each child was amazed!

Oh how I wanted to hug this boy up with that very sad, long face.  And I so wanted to explain to him what Minnesota hockey was (on his tee shirt).  The clothes these people wear are mostly from "mission barrels".  Clothes that are donated from the United States and sent to the missionaries in the area.  I did end up hugging him and praying, in English, that he would come to know Hope and Love...God!

Our purpose in gathering the children was to present Jesus to them.  Many have not heard the Gospel.  We would present the gospel in songs, skits and then talking through the simple story of Jesus.

And we tied a million balloon animals!  Oh the kids loved those balloons.  In the background, can you see kids coloring on the red tarp?  I was amazed at the fact most children had never colored, had never seen color crayons and they didn't know what to do with them when we handed them out.  Once they started coloring, many wouldn't leave the tarp to move to the next activity we had for them.

Fun tattoos were offered to the kids by our bus driver, Rex.

This little girl caught my eye right away.  I just had to hold her despite the lice jumping from her hair.

On each of my trips I have seen the native people satisfied and happy with their lives.  Of course they all want "more".  Who doesn't.  But these people, in comparison with my own life, have nothing and they are happy  And that is where the challenge, the being humbled and being changed comes in.  During each trip I have learned to truly give God thanks for where He placed me on this earth and for the "things" that I have been given. 

Would you take time to read the blogs from the Ecuador group.  Click HERE to see and read of children waiting for sponsors.  After reading this, I bet you will be challenged, humbled and changed.

The Night Went to the Dogs

The Husband's siblings love animals.  Each of his sister's have at least one dog.  Recently we went to The Farm, which is where The Husband's oldest sister and brother-in-law live.  They live with five dogs, two pot belly pigs, a miniature horse, and a donkey.  In the big barn are many big horses and in the indoor riding arena.

We went for supper and to visit.  Kidlet Three had such fun with the dogs.  Here are some pics from a very fun evening:

The videos are hilarious.

Once I figure out how to do some minor editing

I'll post them.

It was an amazingly fun, entertaining evening!

Glorious Day

In my car CD player you'll find Casting Crowns "Until The Whole World Knows".  I absolutely love each and every song on this cd.  For the past two days, the following has been my favorite song.  I play it over and over because I want the words to get under my skin.   Each of these words is so full of truth that I want to yell them out from the top of the highest mountain.  Since I don't live by mountains, I sing them as loud as I can in my car.  Here is "Glorious Day":

One day when Heaven was filled with His praises

One day when sin was as black as could be

Jesus came forth to be born of a virgin

Dwelt among men, my example is He

Word became flesh and the light shined among us

His glory revealed

Living, He loved me

Dying, He saved me

Buried, He carried my sins far away

Rising, He justified freely forever

One day He’s coming

Oh glorious day, oh glorious day

One day they led Him up Calvary’s mountain

One day they nailed Him to die on a tree

Suffering anguish, despised and rejected

Bearing our sins, my Redeemer is He

Hands that healed nations, stretched out on a tree

And took the nails for me

One day the grave could conceal Him no longer

One day the stone rolled away from the door

Then He arose, over death He had conquered

Now He’s ascended, my Lord evermore

Death could not hold Him, the grave could not keep Him

From rising again

One day the trumpet will sound for His coming

One day the skies with His glories will shine

Wonderful day, my Beloved One, bringing

My Savior, Jesus, is mine

Oh, glorious day

© 2009 My Refuge Music/Club Zoo Music (adm. by EMI CMG Publishing) (BMI) / Be Essential Songs (adm. by Sony/ATV Songs LLC) (BMI) / Word Music, LLC (ASCAP)

Fish Tacos

We do not eat fish very often.  Unless we are at my parents eating fresh fish.  But I was hungry for fish so I started hinting to The Husband and Kidlet Three that we were going to have fish for a meal very soon.  For some reason I knew I had to work them into this idea because of the type of fish I was hungry for!  See we usually enjoy fried fish.  No, enjoy is too light of a word.  We LOVE fried fish.  What I was hungry for was fish tacos and I just knew that was not going to be highly accepted.

The night I made the tacos I gave in and fried two of the fillets for the boys.  The rest I made into tacos.  I'd picked up this recipe somewhere and I would give it a 5 on a scale of 1 to 10.  It wasn't bad but it wasn't those "10" excellent fish tacos I've had in restaurants.  In case you want to try this recipe, here it is. 

Chili Lime Sauce (mix all ingredients and refrigerate)
1/2 cup fat free, plain yogurt
1/2 cup fat free mayo
zest of a lime
Juice of two limes (I used ReaLime)
1 T.chili powder
1 T. cumin (I goofed and used cumin seed but it worked..)
Salt and Pepper to taste

1/2 small onion chopped finely
2-3 Roma tomatoes, diced

6 loins any firm, white fish.  I used Tilapia.  When I opened the package they smelled fishy so I soaked them in a lime juice/water potion for about 20 minutes. 

Remove the fish from the water and lay on paper towels to remove excess water.
Season the fish to taste with chili powder, garlic powder, salt and papper. 

Pre-heat a frying pan seasoned with cooking spray.  Over medium heat, fry fish until golden brown (4-5 minutes a side for the Tilapia).

Turn and cook the other side.

While the fish was cooking, I set up my assembly line.  Including the broccoli slaw.  I picked up this bag at Trader Joe's.

With all of the ingredients for the tacos set out and ready to go, I flaked the fish (which really means chop it) in the pan.

I used corn tortillas.  I started each taco with a spoonful of the chili lime sauce, a handful of broccoli slaw, spoonful of onion, fish and then chopped tomatoes.  I love cilantro so I sprinkled dried cilantro over the entire taco.

Fish tacos.  Nummy.

Mysterious vs. Faithful

I've been thinking a lot lately.  Thinking, running Kidlet Three to hockey practices, making jam, chatting with friends, sorting out a closet and all that stuff that takes time. So I haven't posted for awhile.

But I've been thinking during all of those activities.

Thinking on how mysterious God is.  It is mysterious how the whole world and all the galaxies beyond work in perfect timing and are synchronized to move so they don't collide.  Isn't it mysterious how the human body works?  The trees in my area have had three different stages of color change this fall in preparation for the winter season soon upon us.  We have enjoyed brilliant colors.  Oh what wonderful mysteries this life is full of that we get to enjoy.

There are many, MANY things that go on in this world that I question their purpose or how good can ever come from any of it.  The mysteries of sickness, the death of a really good person, how a friend can think that divorce is an option, or how parents abandon or hurt their kids. 

This week Kidlet One was diagnosed with celiac disease.  She has been feeling so awful.  The good news is that one week on a gluten-free diet she said she feels "300%" better. 

With her diagnosis it means all three of my Kidlets have a life-threatening disease or allergy.  It makes me a little mad.  I had my boo-hoo hissy fit with God which included me saying the words "it isn't fair" and "why would You let this happen" and finally, "can't you give my family a break".

There was a little anger for me to work through, huh!

My God is so amazing.  He let me have my poo-poo time with Him and then He asked me a question.  In that little inner Nudge He asked me this:

AM I FAITHFUL?

If I hadn't been in the middle of the grocery store in the gluten-free food aisle having a melt-down at how expensive the gluten-free foods are, I would've fallen to my knees and said "YES..YES...YES...Lord, You Are Faithful.

I waited until I got to the car.

In the car I had a vision of a scale.  The type of scale that has plates on the left and right.  On the left I saw all of the mysteries and questions I had for God.  It tipped the scale down toward the left.  On the right side of the scale I saw God's faithfulness.  His faithfulness to me and His faithfulness to all of mankind.  And I watched the right side of the scale become fuller and fuller until it dipped way down, outbalancing the mysteries.

God's faithfulness far outweighs all of the mysteries in this world.

Amazing and true!