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posted by Mom on 08/25/08

It was a pleasure to  attend church with  the Van Essen’s on Sunday. The openness and friendly atmosphere made it a special time! We enjoyed a walk and picnic lunch by a lock. Some of us had never  seen one before this vacation. We were fascinated to watch the boats enter the lock from the side of the  waterway where the water level was lower.  The gates closed behind the boats and the lock filled with water up to the level of water on the other side of the lock. The gates opened letting the boats sail out onto the higher water. The whole process took about 15-30 minutes.

Then the Van Essen’s took us to see the highest  hydraulic boat lifts in the world - The Peterborough lift lock.  The difference in water level was so drastic (65 ft) that the boat lifts actually moved up and down like an elevator! They were huge!

But it was more then just  site-seeing because the time spent getting there and back was filled with edifying conversation. What a blessing to spend time with such a spiritually uplifting family.

2 Comments » | posted in Family News

posted by Mom on 02/12/08

Grandma Brown introduced us to vegetable pizza a few years back but it was not until recently that I began making it myself by “staddonizing” the recipe.

The first thing I changed was the crust — we like “the real thing” rather than Pillsbury cresent rolls.

The second thing that was more to our liking was replacing the Ranch flavor powder style dressing or dip mix with our own spices and some sour cream or plain yogurt. Tastefully Simple has a very good all natural Fiesta Party dip Mix which makes a very good replacement.

We bake 5 loaves of bread once or twice a week so when we need a pizza crust we just make the crust instead of the loaves of bread: One loaf makes two crusts. After baking it about 6 minutes, the 12″ crusts freeze very nicely in a two gallon plastic zip-lock bag.

Also the vegetables can be cut up ahead of time and kept for as long as a week if covered with water which is changed every day.

Bake one pizza crust and cool
Mix: 1 T. Fiesta Party Dip,
          ¼ c. mayonnaise (real mayonnaise only), and
          ¾ c. sour cream or plain yogurt
Spread on cooled crust
Cut into small pieces:
          Cauliflower
          Broccoli
          Carrots
          Olives
          Celery
          Red/green/yellow peppers
          Whatever raw vegetables preferred (yellow squash, etc)
Top crust with vegetables
Chill well and serve

Enjoy!
 
 

2 Comments » | posted in Recipes

posted by Mom on 11/29/07

Yesterday I decided to take the time to search my cookbooks for the perfect recipe for the cranberries I had bought before thanksgiving that were still in the refrigerator.

My desire was to please everyone! Everyone being the seven that are under our roof at this time; some of whom say cranberries are not good unless you sweeten them a lot as well as those who say too much sugar is bad for you.

Most of the recipes called for at least 1 1/2 cups of sugar for the 2 cups of cranberries; but one used only 1/2 c. of brown sugar. Finally by combining two recipes I came up with the following:

                Cranberry Casserole

• 3 - 4 cups chopped unpeeled apples
• 2 cups cranberries
• 6 oz apple juice concentrate
• 1 T. flour
• 1/2 stick butter (1/4 cup)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup quick or rolled oats
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts

Place apples and cranberries in 2-quart baking dish with flour and juice concentrate. Melt butter and brown sugar; add oats and nuts. Sprinkle this mixture over apples and cranberries. Bake uncovered, 45 min. at 325 degrees.

We ate it with our meal as a side dish but it would also work for a dessert. These were the comments:

1. Usually I’m tempted to eat dessert too fast but this recipe was good because the slight tartness slowed me down.
2. Can we have seconds?
3. I like the topping (meaning the oats and brown sugar) the best. Less cranberries would be better.
4. I normally don’t like cranberries, but the apples offset their tartness enough to be a very pleasing taste that I enjoyed.

The list of health benefits from cranberries are incredible. Click here for more specifics and be motivated to try this winning recipe!

7 Comments » | posted in Recipes

posted by Mom on 03/10/07

In the year 2002 my son Robert gave Don and I a book for Christmas entitled “Morning by Morning” by Charles Spurgeon. Finally last year, 2006, I decided to read this devotional guide.There was a paragraph for each day of the year with a very short, very uncommon scripture text. I found each paragraph to be a tremendous blessing to me. Through these devotionals the Lord was able to give me “the lift” I needed for each day. I have highlighted the phrases that were of special meaning to me and gone back many times when faced with a need to remember the rich insights.

One of these was the entry for Feb. 20th entitled “God, that comforteth those that are cast down” 2 Cor. 7:16. It read “And who comforteth like Him? Go to some poor, melancholy, distressed child of God; tell him sweet promises, and whisper in his ear choice words of comfort; he is like the deaf adder, he listens not to the voice of the charmer, charm he never so wisely… you will bring forth no psalm of praise, no hallelujahs, no joyful sonnets. Be let God come to His child; let Him lift up his countenance, and the mourner’s eyes glisten with hope…Christian, when thou art dry, go to God, ask Him to shed abroad His joy in thy heart, and then thy joy shall be full. Do not go to earthly acquaintances, for you will find them Job’s comforters after all; but go first and foremost to thy “God, that comforteth those that are cast down,” and you will soon say, “In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.”

I had first heard of Charles Spurgeon from my grandfather when I was a girl. Unlike myself, my grandfather read quite a bit and I remember him always having a pile of books beside his chair and more piles in his bedroom, much to my grandmother’s chagrin. I am now, out of curiosity, reading a biography of this incredible “preacher.” Maybe later I can tell you what factors in his life contributed to his literary success.

5 Comments » | posted in Book Reports

posted by Mom on 02/14/07

I appreciate the genuine love Don expressed in this poem he wrote me on Valentine’s Day 2004.

 

♥ Companions ♥

Companions are those who “break bread”
Who share their lives from day to day
Who know the faults within their head
But love each other anyway.

Companions make a midnight ride
To take a trailer to the city
Even though it’s cold outside
To keep each other company.

Companions shop and shop and shop
To seek the perfect gift indeed
Even though they’re ’bout to drop
To help each other with their need.

Companionship is something real
It’s more than I can understand.
Companionship is when I feel
My life partner is my best friend.

As we meditate on God’s Word
Our spirit will become stronger
Then we’ll grow closer to the Lord
And our spirits to each other.

In heaven - marriage is no more
But companions will surely be
If I may choose a companion sure
My first and finest choice is thee. ♥

4 Comments » | posted in Family News