Chicken and Biscuits

1 (5 lb.) stewing chicken

2 tsp. sea salt

1 branch celery

1 med. onion

5 carrots

2 c. chicken broth

3/4 c. flour

2 c. light cream

2 egg yolks, beaten

Parsley

Sweet cream biscuits

Cut chicken, place in kettle. Add hot water to cover. Add salt, celery and onion. Simmer covered until tender, about 3 hours. Add carrots the last 30 minutes of cooking.

Drain broth from chicken. Skim fat from broth, saving 1/4 cup fat for gravy. Strain broth, save carrots. Measure 2 cups broth for gravy.

Blend in flour in saucepan. Gradually add broth and cream. Cook until thick and smooth, stirring constantly. Add a small amount of hot gravy to egg yolks. Then add yolks to gravy. Cook 2 minutes more. Place hot chicken and carrots in serving dish, pour in gravy. Top with sweet biscuits. Makes 10 to 12 servings.

Blondies

1 cup butter, melted

2 cups brown sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla or 1 teaspoon almond extract

Pinch salt

2 cups all-purpose flour

Directions: Butter a 13 x 9 pan. Mix melted butter with brown sugar - beat until smooth. Beat in egg and then vanilla. Add salt, stir in flour. Mix in any additions (below).

Pour into prepared pan. Bake at 350 20-25 minutes, or until set in the middle. I always err on the side of caution with baking times — nobody ever complained about a gooey-middle cookie. Cool on rack before cutting them.

Further additions; use one or a combination of:
1/2 to 1 cup chopped nuts, toasting them first for even better flavor
1/2 to 1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon mint extract in addition to or in place of the vanilla
1/2 cup mashed bananas
Stir 1/2 cup dried fruit, especially dried cherries, into the prepared batter
Top with a vanilla butter cream or chocolate peanut butter cream frosting

Psalms 42

As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God:

Oven Beef Stew

2 pounds beef stew cubes

1 (32 ounce) can tomato juice or V-8 cocktail

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 onion, sliced

1 stalk celery, sliced

1/4 teaspoon oregano

1 beef bouillon cube (optional)

3 or 4 carrots, sliced

4 or 5 potatoes, cubed

1 tablespoon flour

1 tablespoon sugar (optional)

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat oven to 250° F.

In a casserole dish, blend salt and pepper, sugar (optional), oregano, flour and one crushed beef bouillon cube (optional).

Stir in tomato juice, mixing well to combine. Add remaining ingredients.

Cover and bake about four hours.

If using a slow cooker, which also works well for this dish, set your timer for six to eight hours on the medium setting.

Awake North Wind

Awake, north wind, and come, south wind! Blow on my garden, that its fragrance may spread abroad. Song of Solomon 4:16a (NIV) 

My friend, it seems the north wind is blowing all around us. Many of those closest to me are also in the middle of a blast of that icy wind—and I hear from people throughout our nation that they, too, are experiencing hardship. 

I have a sense that our Lord is building His people. He wants us to be stronger than ever before and He is allowing the wind to blow because we need what we will learn in the storm. 

Tonight I sense the Lord wants to share a few things with us about this season. 

First, hard times don’t mean He doesn’t love you. On the contrary, He loves you too much to let you stay as you are. He is allowing the wind because He wants to blow away the things that keep you from Him and whittle away at the hard places of your soul. He is cleansing your life (and mine) so that we can find deeper joy and more authentic relationship with Him.

Second, I believe He is asking us to surrender—to quit fighting His hand of growth and to give Him permission to do with us as He pleases, for our good and His glory. He’s whispering, “Will you trust Me? May I do what is necessary for the good of your future and of my church?” 

Third, He wants to remind us that He never leaves or forsakes His children. No matter how strong the wind rattling your windows, you are never alone. His arms are around you. He is still your strong tower of protection. The evil one cannot snatch you of His hand. He holds you fast and tells you not to be afraid. He has a hope and a future for you, plans to prosper and not harm you. You can trust Him in the storm.

I don’t know that everyone is experiencing the north wind. In fact, I hope many of you are basking in a southern breeze! But I sense there are many of us standing in the blustery weather. I pray this series will give you encouragement as we learn together in the midst of the storm. 

Father God, We need you. Please reveal yourself to us in the midst of the cold winds. Give us supernatural faith. Give us hope and peace that we couldn’t fabricate, but that is a pure gift. Be our place of safety in the blowing wind. ~Paula Moldenhauer

New Shoes?

Always put yourself in others' shoes. If you feel that it hurts you, it probably hurts that person too.

Are you Listening?

God still speaks to those who take the time to listen.

Chicken and Dumplings

Recipe courtesy of Paula Deen

Chicken:

1 (2 1/2-pound) chicken, cut into 8 pieces
3 ribs celery, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 bay leaves
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 teaspoon House Seasoning, recipe follows
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed cream of celery or cream of chicken soup

Dumplings:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
Ice water

To start the chicken: Place the chicken, celery, onion, bay leaves, bouillon, and House Seasoning in a large pot. Add 4 quarts of water and in water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer the chicken until it is tender and the thigh juices run clear, about 40 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot and, when it is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and separate the meat from the bones. Return the chicken meat to the pot. Keep warm over low heat.

To prepare the dumplings: Mix the flour with the salt and mound together in a mixing bowl. Beginning at the center of the mound, drizzle a small amount of ice water over the flour. Using your fingers, and moving from the center to the sides of the bowl, gradually incorporate about 3/4 cup of ice water. Knead the dough and form it into ball.

Dust a good amount of flour onto a clean work surface. Roll out the dough (it will be firm), working from center to 1/8-inch thick. Let the dough relax for several minutes.
Add the cream of celery soup to the pot with the chicken and simmer gently over medium-low heat.

Cut the dough into 1-inch pieces. Pull a piece in half and drop the halves into the simmering soup. Repeat. Do not stir the chicken once the dumplings have been added. Gently move the pot in a circular motion so the dumplings become submerged and cook evenly. Cook until the dumplings float and are no longer doughy, 3 to 4 minutes.

To serve, ladle chicken, gravy, and dumplings into warm bowls.

Cook's Note: If the chicken stew is too thin it can be thickened before the dumplings are added. Simply mix together 2 tablespoons cornstarch and 1/4 cup of water then whisk this mixture into the stew.

House Seasoning:
1 cup salt
1/4 cup black pepper
1/4 cup garlic powder

Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight

The Power of Prayer

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition,with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding,will guard your hearts, and your minds in Christ, Jesus.~~ Philippians 4:6-7 NIV ~~ 

"The power of prayer": these words are so familiar, yet sometimes we forget what they mean. 

Prayer is a powerful tool for communicating with our Creator; it is an opportunity to commune with the Giver of all things good. 

Prayer helps us find strength for today and hope for the future. 

Prayer is not a thing to be taken lightly or to be used infrequently. 

Is prayer an integral part of your daily life, or is it a hit-or-miss habit? 

Do you pray without ceasing, or is your prayer life an afterthought? 

The quality of your spiritual life will be in direct proportion to the quality of your prayer life. 

Prayer changes things, and it changes you. Today, instead of worrying about your next decision, ask God to lead the way. 

Don't limit your prayers to meals or to bedtime. 

Pray constantly about things great and small. God is listening, and He wants to hear from you now. 

 ~~ A Prayer ~~

Dear Lord, sometimes, amid the demands of the day, I lose perspective, and I fail to give thanks for Your blessings and for Your love. 

Today, help me to count those blessings and let me give thanks to You, Father, for Your love, for Your grace, and for Your blessings. Amen.  

A Woman of Prayer, 365 Daily Devotions - Freeman-Smith

Cozy Feet!

Do you remember receiving a pair of these slippers from Grandma every year? Well, I resurrected the old pattern and made a pair for the girls. If you want the pattern, I would be happy to share!