Happy Thanks-Living to you!

Wishing you and yours a blessed and...

Enjoy your day...count your blessings...name them one by one! 

A Thank You & Some Fav's from The Country Cook

We interrupt our regularly scheduled "Blast from the Past" post to bring you some of my favorite recipes of a favorite blogger & friend...
Brandie AKA - The Country Cook

Brandie and I have been blogging buds for several years now and I just wanted to honor and thank her, for all the ways she's helped me to grow my blog and Facebook page!  She's increased my traffic and LIKES by leaps & bounds!

We are honored to be co-hostesses at our weekly Weekend Potluck linky parties. 

She has a 'boatload' of awesome recipes and it was very difficult to share just a few here, but these are definitely among my favorites at her blog.  I love her simple and easy recipes - "Getting dinner on the table and spending time together is more important than WHAT you fix" attitude...

If you're not acquainted with Brandie (It's hard to imagine you're not, but...)
please be sure to spend some time there checking out her beautiful photos and delicious recipes.  She has a great sense of humor...and quickly makes you feel like you're one of the family. 

Hope you enjoy this 'taste' of HOME from Brandie's kitchen. 



Just gotta LOVE these easy meatballs...your family will love them any time too. 

Crockpot Party Meatballs

Brandie is known...far and wide...for her poke cakes. 
Simply can't go wrong doctoring up a carrot cake mix! 

Pudding Poke Carrot Cake

These 'sammies' are made with Hawaiian rolls...make a few...make a lot!
YES PLEASE! 

Inside Out Grilled Cheese

This recipe makes me giddy...so pretty...so easy...soo delicious.  YUMMERS! 

Cherry Cheesecake Dip

My mouth absolutely waters to look at this photo!  I need to be feeding a crowd when I make it so I don't eat the whole thing myself....WOWOWOW!! 

Pecan Praline French Toast

Thanks Brandie for being such a dear friend in my life!
I have learned more from you than you'll ever know. 
Thanks for being such an awesome example for so many who are learning to cook, and for those of us who want quick dishes!! 
YOU ROCK GIRLFRIEND!! 

​

How can I begin to say Thanks?

My heart has been greatly blessed by all the prayer coverage, support and love extended to me and my family over the loss of our special and oldest granddaughter, Ashtyn McCrae, age 19. She suffered severe brain trauma in a fatal auto accident.  (No broken bones and only one little bruise on her forehead!)

This is the photo I used to announce her 17th birthday on my blog. 
(My heart flutters to see those natural red curls!)

I can't find the words (& that's a rare thing!) to thank you all for the kindness & thoughtfulness you've extended to me.  I read every single comment left for me at Facebook, and soaked each of them in.  What a comfort to know we're not alone in these dark times. 

We have a strong faith...I sure wouldn't want to face uncertain days without Christ.  HIS strength is made perfect in our weakness. And HIS grace is amazing beyond measure! We rejoice in knowing we'll see her again. 

And we are especially blessed because Ashtyn was an organ donor and 4 others get to live because of her!!  So thrilled over that! 

Whatever you have done to reach out to me - thank you. I've read and reread the cards & notes and they have ministered to me greatly, bringing cleansing tears. 

I wanted to thank some very special ladies...blogging buds...who took time to make me feel so very beloved in my sorrow.  They not only sent a gorgeous peace lily houseplant, they also sent a card with food gift cards...to us, AND my children!  

CAUSE THEY WANTED TO COOK FOR ME, AND SINCE THEY COULDN'T...

Bless their sweet sweet hearts! 

Sending a BIG slobbery sweet 

to each of you precious friends...

Lark - Lark's Country Heart

Tonya - 4 little Fergusons

Tabitha - Frugal Family Favorites

Brandie - The Country Cook

Debi - Recipes for my Boys

Veronica - My Catholic Kitchen

SO very thankful I can feel beloved and know I'm not alone in my sorrow. 

May God richly return to all of you the special blessing you are to me now! 

​

Leader Enterprise - June 5, 2013 - Tips for saying Thank You

Because June is traditionally known as the month of weddings and graduations, I wanted to share ideas from a little booklet entitled ”101 Ways to Say Thank You”, authored by Bonnie Ceban. Since I send many cards during the year, I'm always looking for creative ideas and I really liked these great reminders. We can use these ideas all year long. I do hope they are a help to you now.

From the book - “We show gratitude in many different ways in order to express to others how valued and appreciated they are in our lives. Most people learn to say thank you when they are children, yet adults allow the busyness of their schedules and the competing demands in their lives to crowd out the art of expressing gratitude. Consider who in your life is already overdue for an expression of thanks. Remember that a life overflowing with thanksgiving is one that will touch others more deeply and produce more genuine relationships.

Children don’t naturally express thanks; they need to learn the importance of doing so and then practice it in daily life until gratitude becomes a part of how they express themselves to others.

Thank children for thanking others. Show them thank you notes or gifts you are sending out, or bring children along when you are delivering a thank you. Modeling how you thank your friends and family will help them to thank their friends as well.

A formal thank you is written. This is appropriate for graduations or other milestone events, such as weddings or anniversary parties. A formal thank you note should include a specific acknowledgement of someone’s presence at the event and a specific acknowledgment of their gift. Formal thank you notes should be in the mail soon after an event. If you determine not to use that gift until you have sent a thank you, it will motivate you to get those thank you notes out in the mail promptly.

Writing scores of thank you notes can become very tiring. Try to make the process more interesting and personal by including a memory or thought specific to that person. It can be from the event or from a different time in your life, but let them know they are not receiving a form letters. Make it specific to them.Include in your thank you note just a few lines about what made the day special for you and how you will look back on the memories.

There is an art in offering an oral thank you. Always be sure to stop all else and give your full attention to the person you are thanking. This shows them that they are valued and that you are thinking through, and therefore, meaning your words. Giving people your full attention and truly taking the time to let them know what they have done and why you are so grateful gives others a sense of how much they have meant to you. Always make eye contact so the other person knows you are serious and sincere. In addition,when appropriate, a thank you can come with a hug or pat on the back to show your appreciation.”

This recipe is among my long list of 'favorite' dips. It's quick and easy to make too. All the recipes I'm sharing here would be great for any outdoor BBQ or picnic.

MEXICORN DIP 

2 (11 ozs each) cans mexicorn

1 (10 ozs) rotel tomatoes and green chilies

(may use half hot and half original)

1 (16 ozs) refrigerated french onion dip

Fritos Corn Scoops

Drain mexicorn and rotel well.In medium bowl,mix all ingredients(except corn chips)together.Refrigerate until cold to allow flavors to blend.Serve with corn chips.

 

This is a wonderfully refreshing dish to serve anytime.Place chunks of fruit on kebobs and display them in a glass or vase.Makes for an appealing visual.

PINA COLADA FRUIT DIP

1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice, undrained

1 (4-serv.size) pkg.vanilla instant pudding mix

1 tsp. coconut extract

3/4 c. milk

1/2 c. sour cream

mixed fruit


Whip up all the ingredients in a food processor or blender for about 30 seconds or just whisk together.

Refrigerate for several hours to mingle the yummy flavors.Serve with fresh fruit. Easily ‘lightened up’ by using sugar free pudding mix, 2% milk and lite sour cream.

Strawberry season is upon us and this is one delicious dish to help you celebrate summer! It makes you want to scream MORE!  Add some blueberries for a 'patriotic' touch.

STRAWBERRY PIZZA

1-1/2 c. all purpose flour

1 c. cold butter,cut into chunks

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. chopped pecans
1-8 oz. cream cheese, softened

3/4 c. powdered sugar
1-8 oz. tub Cool Whip, thawed

4 c. cleaned, sliced fresh strawberries

1-16 oz. pkg. strawberry glaze

Preheat oven to 350. In lg. bowl, combine flour,butter, brown sugar and nuts. Spread on 14" pizza pan or 10" X 15" X 1"cookie sheet. Bake 12-15 minutes until browned. Cool. In medium bowl, combine cream cheese and powdered sugar; beat until smooth. Fold in whipped topping and spread over cooled crust. Refrigerate for 15 minutes to set up. In large bowl, combine fresh strawberries and glaze until coated. Spread out over cream cheese filling, then top with dollops of Cool Whip to serve. Keep leftovers refrigerated. I use lite cream cheese and Cool Whip with sugar-free glaze.

Good News!

I truly enjoyed time with daughter Deb and family last week.  Little Sam is doing great recovering from surgery. Drs. removed 20% of his large intestine and he's now eating like a champ and his system is definitely a 'go'...if you know what I mean.  =)  Sam smiles so much and I just had to share one of my favorites shots of him...Thanks again for your prayers on his behalf. God is good...all the time!

He has the biggest blue eyes that just melt your heart!

MORE GOOD NEWS....

My taco chicken recipe was #1 viewed at Jane Doiron's Melt in Your Mouth Monday #27 last week.  I feel very honored....especially since there were 96 other recipes linked there. 

AND....


at Mandy's Recipe Box's Totally Tasty Tuesday too.  I've followed both of these blogs for some time...two of the very first I began following...and am blessed to be featured there.

If you haven't tried this tasty dish yet...I suggest you check it out.  It's definitely a popular family favorite.

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO SUPPORT ME!!!

Thanksgiving Prayer

(please click on the link below)
O Give Thanks Unto the Lord

credit: whitneyinchicago

Thanksgiving Blessings

Lord, as we bow our heads to pray,

We celebrate Thanksgiving Day.

Help us have the right attitude,

As we turn to you in gratitude.

Thank you for our festive mood;

Thank you, Lord, for this good food;

Thanks for blessings great and small;

Thank you, thank you for it all.

By Joanna Fuchs

Leader Enterprise - November 2010 - Attitude of Gratitude

Here we are almost to the end of the year already!November always brings thoughts of Thanksgiving.I want to challenge you to exercise your attitude of gratitude.When life hands you lemons,you can choose to become bitter...or better.Learning to be thankful for our troubles makes sense of our past and creates a vision for tomorrow.

About a year ago in a conversation with a casual acquaintance I mentioned that my 60th birthday was upcoming.Their response rather took me aback.I suppose this person considered my head of gray hair and then responded with "OOhh-life has not been kind to you.I thought you were older than that". 

I've pondered that many times since and this month I want to share with you many ways that life has been kind to me!I desire to display that grateful attitude no matter what comes my way.It has been said that a wise person doesn't grieve over what they don't have but rejoices in what they do.I wholeheartedly believe that!

How thankful I am that I've lived long enough for my hair to turn gray!After having been diagnosed with a benign brain tumor in 1987,I had 2 surgeries totaling 23 hrs and received many sweet blessings during my month's stay in a military hospital in another state,far from my 3 children.I'm thankful to only have some paralysis on the left side of my face and am totally deaf in that ear.I use to complain that I cried too much,but now only one eye tears when I cry,so I can proudly say I cry half as much as I use to.Trust me-there are times that not hearing everything is a good thing too.It's all about perspective.

I'm very thankful for a hubby who continues to live a productive life, even after having a heart attack at 49,and being 100% disabled because of Agent Orange.He is a true blessing in my life and I'm thankful for every day we get to share life together.

We often share a chuckle whenever I proclaim how blessed we are that he's disabled because we get to park close to the grocery store or restaurant door.

Even though we lived away from our families for 16 years,how thankful I am that he was able to give those years to military service,and our children got to experience and see things many never do.

Since our young grandson Caden was diagnosed with leukemia over 2 years ago,we are so thankful his health is stabilized much of the time now though he continues monthly treatments until January 2012. We are grateful for wise doctors, nurses and modern technology.Our family has received many rainbows in spite of the storm.What a joy when he dressed up as Woody from Toy Story for Halloween and greeted us with a"Howdy Pardner".The little things in life truly are the big things.

HAPPY THANKS-LIVING!

Cold and flu season is here,so if you've avoided getting sick thus far,good work! Here are some easy ways that you can continue sickness prevention(or get healthy sooner if you've already caught a bug):

• Take Your Vitamins:vitamins can help fill those nutritional gaps created by stress and lack of sleep when you're sick.You don't have to spend a fortune on vitamins either.According to Consumer Reports, store brand multi-vitamins are on equal footing as their name brand equivalents.
• Change Out Your Toothbrush Regularly:bacteria can build up on your toothbrush while you're sick and decrease your immune system's effectiveness.Either get a new one after you've been sick or boil yours in some water and vinegar(without melting it!)
• Drink plenty of fluids:When you're sick,take extra effort to stay hydrated.It helps keep mucus thinner.Every time you sneeze or blow your nose,you're losing moisture.Drinking warm tea or broth helps loosen up the mucus,making it easier to cough out.Stay away from caffeinated or alcoholic drinks,which will dehydrate you.
• Disinfect household surfaces regularly:Door handles,remote controls,light switches,computer keyboards & telephones are storehouses for germs.Swiping them down with a disinfectant wipe helps eradicate  germs.
• Wash your hands,Wash your hands,Wash your hands:this one thing cannot be emphasized too much.

It seems that pies are often considered for our Thanksgiving menus.This delicious recipe from my cookbook tastes much like pumpkin pie and serves 15-18.It can be made ahead also.Whatever you enjoy for your Thanksgiving meal,I hope you gobble til you wobble.

PUMPKIN SHORTBREAD DESSERT

1-3/4 c.white sugar,divided

1-1/2 c.all purpose flour

1/2 c.cold butter or margarine

4 eggs,lightly beaten

1(29-oz) can solid-pack pumpkin

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp.ground ginger

1/2 tsp.ground cloves

2(12-oz) cans evaporated milk

whipped cream and additional cinnamon,optional

Preheat oven to 425.In large bowl,combine 1/4 c.sugar and flour;cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.Press into an ungreased 9"x 13"x 2"baking dish.In same bowl,combine remaining 1-1/2 c.sugar,eggs,pumpkin,salt and spices.Stir in milk and blend.Pour over crust;bake 15 minutes.Reduce heat to 350;bake 45-55 minutes longer or until filling is set.Cool;cover and refrigerate overnight.Cut into squares;top with whipped cream and sprinkle of cinnamon if desired.

Be watching for my December column that will be chocked full of holiday recipes.