Shower Ideas

I don't know about you, but I get inspired to host when I get invited into someone's home. There is something about getting treated that makes me want to pass it on. So, today I am simply inviting you into my home via photos of a small baby shower I hosted this week. It came up so suddenly, I hardly had time to think about it and that's what made the preparation simple, economical and enjoyable too.

I knew I had some unbaked appetizers in my freezer. I even had extra cupcakes in the freezer from another venue last week as well as unbaked tart shells. All I had to do was to get some fruit, vegetables, flowers and napkins. On the morning of, I set the table with my Royal Albert china. What else is it for, but to use?

And since, in this small group of women, two are expecting this Spring . . . we made it a double shower. A surprise for both of them. Two baby chicks came down from a shelf nearby and some tea lights too, for added ambiance.

I set the frozen cupcakes onto a pedestal plate. Then I baked and filled the tarts.

I cooked lemon pie filling from a package and let it cool. Then, instead of piling the meringue on top, I beat it into the pudding, to make a light lemony tasting filling.

The frozen mushroom turn overs were popped in the oven . . .

at the same time as the Mexican spirals.

During that time I cut up the veggies and fruit. And got out the teapot.

Lacey, our youngest lady at the table, was not one bit bored, as we all listened to our young moms-to-be share some of their dreams for their babies.

After lunch, the gifts were opened . . . such cute things! It was so much fun! And then it was time for the working women to get back to their jobs . . .

and for Miss Lacey to go home for her afternoon nap.

Thank you for dropping by!

Fresh-Scented Towels

When our moms and grandmas did their laundry they often hung it outside and let the wind, fresh air and sunshine do its work. I still love the scent of laundry dried outside and hang it out when the weather permits. Certain things, that is, because some things are just too tedious to hang . . . or the neighbors do not need to see them. I also do not like to hang towels to dry because they tend to feel like scrub brushes if there is no wind to blow on them. I like them soft, but not necessarily the soft that comes from using fabric softener. There is a happy medium between having enough scrub/drying ability and a freshness that is not perfumed.

So, maybe it's because I rarely use any kind of fabric softener that my towels need a boost now and then. Upon my sister's recommendation, I've begun using Pine Sol every once in a while . . . about 1/4 - 1/2 cup along with the detergent. The pine oil in this cleaner acts as a natural deodorizer and disinfectant. I find it eliminates stale odors and leaves my towels feeling clean, absorbent and smelling fresh, without fabric softener.

PS After using the lemon fresh Pine Sol for a while now, I've read that you are only to use the Original Pine-Sol for use in the laundry. Not sure why. I have had not had problems. I add it to the compartment where I would add the bleach in my energy efficient washing machine. For grease spots, you can rub in right into the spot.

Believing God Can

I keep going back to the title. Do I believe that He can . . .? Continuing on through Beth Moore’s study, it seems that believing that He can is more important than that He does what I think He should do. Maybe what is more important is what we are learning in the process . . . learning to know the Healer of our souls, rather than knowing healing of our body. The apostle Paul prayed for God to remove his thorn, and God told him that His grace is sufficient for him. God does what He does to bring glory to Himself . . . whether it be by showing His power through His healing or through His sufficiency. Both are miracles.

John the Baptist, who lived his whole life to prepare for Jesus and baptized Him, ended up in prison. While there, he had his friends go to Jesus and ask Him if He truly is the One who was to come. Jesus said, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me.”

Exactly! Jesus was performing miracles for everyone but him. This was supposed to be a comfort? I’ve often wondered about that last sentence.
Another version goes like this, “Blessed are you if you are not offended with me.” One of Greeks translations for offend is ‘to cause a person to begin to distrust.’ Beth states that, “Few of us will escape a painful opportunity to be offended with Christ . . . Blessed are we when we could be offended and choose with every shred of tattered faith not to be.”

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, administrators under king Nebuchadnezzar, exercised this kind of faith when he had them hurled into the fire on account of not worshiping his image. They placed their faith in a God who could save them, but declared their faith in God even if He did not save them. In this case, God saw the greater good in a miraculous rescue before the eyes of an unbelieving nation. (Daniel 3)

In the hard things we face we have the privilege to ask of a God who loves us, knowing He is able, but trusting He is still good if we can't see what He is doing.

"Blessed is he who is not offended because of Me." Matthew 11:6

Breakfast Reading

I don't often get out the cereal for breakfast so recently, when I sat down with it at the counter, I actually looked at the box and noticed that you can change it into hot cereal, if you like . . .

. . . but I did have to laugh at the warning. No kidding!

Sometimes I choose something more meaningful for my morning read . . . and I wish I would choose this option more often.

Lessons from a Friend

My friend, Doreen and I have, on several occasions, chatted about cooking and compared notes on how we are both following some of our dreams in this area. Last week she invited me over to her house to show me how to bone a chicken . . . since that is something I was quite interested in observing. I wanted to call it de-boning … doesn’t that make sense? But apparently it’s known as boning … go figure. Now, I had never actually eaten a stuffed chicken without bones, but it just sounded like an amazing way to serve up a roasted chicken.
When I got to her place, she had four raw whole chickens ready to go. I had to take some pictures . . . and I will explain the process.

1. Lay the chicken, breast side down and pull the thighs back so that they snap.
2. Using a small sharp knife (a boning or paring knife) cut lengthwise along the backbone from top to bottom.
3. Using the tip of the knife, cut along each side of the ribcage with short strokes, staying close to the bones and pulling away the meat with the skin on. You will also need to make a cut where the legs and wings attach, all the while keeping the skin intact. Cut around the wishbone to pull it out.
4. Once you’ve cut along both sides of the ribcage, down to the breastbone, pull out the carcass. Use the fillet pieces that come loose to later patch areas where there is no meat.
5. Cut along both sides of the thigh bone, pulling the meat away and taking the bone out.
6. Continue shaving away the meat from the bone on the drumstick too. Once the bones are out, flip the leg (outside in) so that the skin is on the outside again . . . forming a small tube.( Do both legs)
7. Remove the tips of the wings and leave them be, unless you'd love the challenge. (Throw all the bones into a pot to make stock or broth . . . cover with water, add salt, spices, onion, a carrot and a stalk of celery . . . bring to boil and simmer about an hour. Strain once cooled.)
8. The center picture in the collage shows the finished product, folded up, without stuffing.
9. Lightly season unfolded inside of chicken. Using a large needle and strong thread (doubled) sew up part way, starting at the leg opening, to make a pouch.
10. Stuff with your favorite bread stuffing, some into the legs as well, and then continue sewing up, securing flap of skin from the neck area to the body.
11. Rub with oil and season. Cook in roaster, open for ½ hour and closed for 1 ½ hours. Remove onto serving platter, cover and let rest 15 minutes.
12. Make gravy in roasting pan, if desired. To serve chicken, slice thick slices.
    

After massacring of my first chicken, I boldly went on to the second one . . . only to gasp after my first big cut. I had it turned the wrong way, with the breast up. There was nothing I could do but continue the same drill and see if it would work. It did . . . I ended up using my hands to pull away most of the meat. So it’s all about what is comfortable. There really is more than one way to skin a cat . . . I mean, a bird.

Doreen invited me to sit down

and she served some delicious mini pavlovas and coffee.

While we ate I got a chance to browse through her promo album, showing samples of the appetizers she serves for her “elegant tea” catering business. Turkish apricots wrapped in bacon, mini-rouladen, spicy coconut ginger shrimp skewers and pinwheel sandwiches are just a few on the list. I was impressed with what she is promoting in her invitation to experience the tradition of afternoon tea.

Doreen has just opened a web page, that is still in progress, but delightful to check out. Her service is available for showers, weddings, cocktail parties, dessert buffets and almost any kind of elegant party you wish to plan. I wish her all the best in her venture!

The TV Interview

Last Thursday Lovella received an email from the producer of the weekend morning and noon news at the Global TV network station. She was wondering if Lovella or any of us ladies would like to come into the studio to talk about “Mennonite Girls Can Cook”.

And that is how it came to be . . . that Lovella and the first "one of us" who responded to Lovella's email . . . namely Kathy, got to head to Vancouver yesterday . . . while the rest of us sat glued to our TVs at home, waiting for the final part of the 12:30 News. Well, almost final . . . sports came later yet . . . so there were still some people tuned in.

We were eating lunch when the "heads up" announcement, showing our book cover, came along . . . saying something like . . . "Coming up after the break . . . we'll talk about "Mennonite Girls Can Cook."

And there they were! Sophie Lui interviewing Lovella and Kathy about how the blog came about.

On my couch . . . I sat and giggled through the interview myself. It seemed so surreal. My friends sitting there with Paska and Platz in front of them, talking about the upcoming cookbook that we have been working on! I would never have expected to see this on the News. Sort of like the old Sesame Street song that went something like . . . one of these things is not like the other . . . one of these things just doesn't belong! Can you guess which thing is different before I end this song?

But . . . here we are! Mennonite Girls Can Cook on the Global TV Noon News! I wonder. . . is that the name we would have chosen for the blog . . . had we known it would become our name too? None-the-less, I'm tickled pink to be on this ride . . . with all of you!