Say Goodbye to that Instant Stuff

Okay, I am a hot chocolate snob. I confess. But I promise, once you've tried my hot chocolate, you'll never return to the ahem...Swiss Miss kinda stuff.

Warm milk in microwave, I usually do about 2 minutes. Then add Ghiradelli sweet ground chocolate and cocoa (a baking cocoa). There are directions on the back of the container, but don't use 4 tbsp of cocoa. That's overkill. Just add about 2 Tbsp or less and it is yummy!

"We're Coming to Visit!"

Today I got to catch up with one of my closest friends. You know the kind that you don't get to see too often, but when you do see them, it's like you haven't been a part at all?!?

It's so nice to have friends like that. My husband is always so happy to hear her voice when she calls, because he knows that I am one step closer to sanity, when we get off the phone. We've always joked that she is my therapist.

Anyway, it was good to catch up. It reminded me of song we use to sing when I was a Girl Scout, "Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other gold."

I am so glad have new friends who can stop in and old friends that can stop by. Either way, I am the one who gets to realize how blessed I am to have folks to call my friends.

There are a lot of letters in the Bible. Paul always was writing one church or another, and often times he'd write "I always thank my God for you, remembering you in my prayers." When I think about my friends, I need to remember to thank God for giving them to me. Because just as that song from Girl scouts says.... one is silver and the other gold...friends are precious treasures.

I have some thoughts on friendship. They are deeper and pretty Jesus oriented. So I'll save them for another day/post. But I wouldn't be telling the truth, if I didn't tell you that my closest friend is Jesus and I wouldn't be a good friend to you, if I didn't tell you why.

Failure.

A nice cool fall day, a box of bread mix that could be "easily" converted into cinnamon rolls, hot chocolate and hot tea.

Everyone in my house was anticipating it. The house smelled wonderful. I pulled them out of the oven, I iced them, I placed the first one on a plate, cooked to "golden perfection" as my hubby would say...

Ahhhh, but looks can be deceiving!! They tasted TERRIBLE. After 2 hours of mixing, kneading, patiently waiting for dough rising, rolling, etc.....down the tubes.

Now my sink is full of dirty dishes, my stomach is empty and I have a pan of good looking bad tasting cinnamon rolls.

What went wrong? I think my hot water was too hot that I added to the bread mix and it totally screwed the whole thing up.



I haven't had a recipe be a complete train wreck, in a long time. My husband has encouraged me to go to the store, buy some more mix and try again. I don't know, maybe I will.

Yummy New Spaghetti Sauce

So, I am planning this event thing for my daughter's school, where we'll be feeding the school staff breakfast. My fabulous sister, who by the way, I hope to someday convince to contribute to this blog (WKM-if you are reading, you know you want to, share all your hostess with the mostess skills with us!!!) gave me a bunch of books with recipe suggestions in them. So sweet!!!

Well, b/c I am, well, easily distracted, I kinda got side tracked and stumbled upon a Spaghetti Sauce recipe that just looked yummy. It's from Paula Deen and Friends' cookbook. I made it yesterday, my husband and I ate it for lunch and then placed some in the fridge and some in the freezer.

It's really yummy. It can be kinda expensive b/c of the amount of ground beef it has in it, but honestly it fills you up, so you don't need a lot, so there is a bunch left over.

Okay, okay...I'll get to the recipe:

Spaghetti Sauce
1 1/2 pounds ground beef (go lean!)
1 large onion, chopped (I used a yellow)
1 green pepper, chopped (forgot it at the store, cooked without it)
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 6oz. cans tomato paste
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce (look I just pulled a cup out of a jar of sauce I had in the fridge!)
1 14 1/2 oz. can stewed tomatoes (I used diced)
1 Tbs. Italian seasoning (ugh..yeah..didn't have this either..put a little basil and oregano in)
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce (staple at my house)
2 Tbs. Sugar
1 Tsp. salt
1 cup water

Brown beef. Drain. Return beef to pot, adding onion, green pepper and garlic. Saute until onion is tender (3-5 minutes). Add tomato paste, tomato sauce, stewed tomatoes, 1 cup water and seasonings. Simmer for 30 minutes. Let cool. The sauce will keep for several days, covered, in the fridge.

I think the worcestshire sauce and sugar were the big keepers in this recipe. It's a pretty meat-eater kinda dish.

Paired with a nice petite bread loaf and green garden salad with cherry 'matos this would be yum, yum, yummy!

Tiny Cinnamon Rolls

I made this recipe this morning b/c I had all the ingredients in my house. I took the recipe from the Southern Living Christmas Cookbook. Prep. time took about 8-10 minutes. Cooking time was 15 minutes. Our family gives them a thumbs up.

Tiny Cinnamon Rolls

1 (8-counce) can refrigerated crescent rolls
1 Tbs. granulated sugar
1 Tsp. ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375. Unroll cresent rolls into 4 rectangles; pinching preforations within rectangles to seal. In a bowl, stir together granulated sugar and cinnamon: sprinkle mixture evenly over rectangles. Roll up, in jelly roll fashion, starting with long side. Pinch edges to seal Gently cut each log into 5 slices, and place in a lightly greased round cakepan. Bake at 375 degrees fro 15 minutes.

Icing

2/3 cup sifted powered sugar (I used about half b/c I am not a huge icing fan)
2 tsp milk
2 drops vanilla extract

Combine powdered sugar, milk and vanilla in a bowl, stirring until smooth. Drizzle over warm cinnamon rolls. Serve immediately. Yield:20 rolls (if you used a 6 oz can it's 15 rolls)

Japan is a super clean culture....

Once again my post doesn't have a ton to do with hospitality, but some fascinating culture things that I encountered as a guest in several homes in japan. One thing was the fact that the toilet's had a sink on top of the tank....what a smart idea to conserve water by using the water that is filling up the tank (after flushing) to wash your hands with! I was very impressed with the conservation efforts.

Being asian, I have grown up in a home where we take our shoes off in the house...but being american, I have definitely been at liberty to wear my shoes in the house, too. In Japan, you take your shoes off in every house you enter. They provide you with slippers to wear (if you would like to) around the house. There are a pair of slippers that are in the restroom and those slippers never leave that room. So, if you need to use the facilities you leave your house slippers at the door and put on the toilet slippers. It's definitely took a little getting used to and there were several times that I walked out of the restroom with the toilet slippers on, but in all it speaks to the cleanliness that is a part of the Japanese culture. My husband preached a sermon at church in his socks last sunday. :)
I have other stories to tell, but jet-lag has been amazing....(on top of coming home to the 5 kids), so until next time!

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Squares

I am dedicating this week to dessert recipes on my blog! Maybe b/c I am on a diet and thinking about all the things I'd like to have but can't have currently....

Choclate Chip Peanut Butter Squares

1 1/2 c. powered sugar
1 1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 (18 oz.) pkg. Pillsbury refigerated chocolate chip cookie dough
8 or 9" square pan

Heat oven to 350. In medium bowl, combine first 3 ingredients. With floured fingers, press half of cookie dough in bottom of pan. Press peanut butter mixture evenly over cookie dough. Crumble and sprinkle rest of cookie dough evenly over peanut butter mixture. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until golde brown and firm to the touch. Cool 30 min. Refrigerate 1 hour. Cut into bars.

Pondering a Fall Get Together

Obviously with the coming of the Fall Season, comes a variety of things. Football, fallen leaves, trading out summer clothes for jackets and jeans, apple picking, hot chocolate, and of course there is CHILI!!!

I have a really good chili recipe. I am not gonna lie. It is good. But I have found over talking with people over the past few weeks that just about everyone has a chili recipe they love.

So I am thinking about finding someone who has a big tv and one Sunday afternoon having a chili fest. Everyone bring their crock pot of chili and sitting around taste testing chili and watching some football and chasing kids.

Here is my menu:

Chili of all varieties
White Rice (b/c I like my chili with rice)
A Big Green Salad
Yummy rolls
Apple Pie for Dessert
And your favorite football beverage.

The kids would have chicken nuggets, apples and green beans.

Hmmmm...the more I think about it, the more it sounds like fun!

Quaker Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

This Sunday whe had lunch after church. We do this every month. Man is it good too. Our church people know how to cook some good food.

This week my 3 year old daughter and I made Quaker Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. The recipe is on the inside lid of the Quaker Oats box.

I think they are really good cookies. But my husband quickly reminded me after I tasted one that I did not like them that much. I like them now. But they just aren't as good as my Grandma's.

Japanese Hospitality

Guess many of you guys know that I (Kelly) am not the only writer on this blog. My good friend and former neighbor, Karen also blogs from time to time on here.

Right now she is in Japan with her husband and they are exploring moving there to do church work. When she gets back she is going to give us a look at what Japanese Hospitality looks like.

I am really excited. I've already seen some pictures from her trip and it looks like she is having a bunch of fun!

I understand that the Japanese are very gracious people and great hosts. So, I am really looking forward to hearing all about it.

My Latest Projects

Well, it's been a little bit since my last blog! Sorry about that. I've been spending most of my time researching a vacation...no plan on that yet, but man do I want to go on one!

Here is my latest projects- I've been redecorating my 1/2 bath/guest bathroom. Hopefully by tomorrow I'll be done painting and hanging pictures and cleaning it up. It really needs a new faucet, but that will have to go on my list of things I'd like to have. I think a guest bathroom should feel warm. Just my opinion. It was stark white before, so I am glad to have a change.

I've also been busy planning a big 'ole breakfast for 120 staff members at my daughter's school in mid-October. It's actually been kind of fun to plan and I'll be trying out a bunch of new recipes in the coming weeks. I'll be sure to post the recipes for you!

I had another episode of extroverted 3 year old at the store today. It was good though. The girl who was our check out clerk was super sweet and new to our town. So, it was good to connect with her. I visit the store a lot, so hopefully I get to see her again and see how she likes it here.

My Extroverted Children

How does it happen? I mean you would think that at least half of our family would introverted but I am outnumbered. I am the lone introvert of this family.

The other day we went to a restaurant to try dinner out with our very energetic 3 year old. The waitress comes up and introduces herself, at which point my three year old loudly states, with her hand on her chest and eyes wide open, that her name is...., and this is her dad, Ty and her mom, Kelly and her big sister. Our waitress was laughing so hard and so surprised that she was actually speechless. So were we.

At the check out counter for every store I go to, she says...Hello, my name is...., what's your name? This is my mommy, Kelly. It makes the store clerks smile, and in a way is a great interaction, how often do you look the store clerk in the eye and talk with them? My little one has given me no choice but to take time to visit with the person helping me out.

And when we are at the park, she introduces herself and then introduces me to her friend and then asks if the friend would like to come over to our house. The new friend will be a complete stranger-but that is no obstacle at all for my people loving 3 year old.

My older child, the same way. She can join a group of children playing and by the end of play time, she's swapped phone numbers with them and dreams up ways that they can all get together again. She is constantly writing old teachers and friends, reminding them of how special they are to her.

When these kids were still in the womb I guess I did pray "extroverted" things for them. The oldest I prayed would be someone people would want to be around and that she'd have a strong faith and my little one I prayed would have a contagious joy and caring personality. God gave me just what I hoped for. Don't get me wrong--- they challenge me on all sorts of levels b/c we are so different, but it must be nice not to be limited by an introverted personality.

And in the scheme of things, I think my kids may have it right--they treasure the people around them and want to spend more time with them. That just gives me something to think about...

I Just Can't Do It

I just can't get over being squeamish about having people into my house when it is a complete wreck. Now there is a little messy and a complete wreck. I was sick for a couple of days in a row, and my hubby in typical fashion, was swamped with committments and when he could he took over kid duty---this pretty much is a good formula for dishes stacked high in the sink, popcorn on the floor, shoes piled high by the front door, lunch still on the table and laundry on the couch waiting to be folded--a big wreck.

How do I get over this? I am really not sure. There is nothing wrong with people seeing the way you live-in fact, I am probably the only person that really has a problem with the way my house looks.

1 Peter 4:9 (from the Bible) says, "Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling". Maybe I need post notes around my house that say "NO GRUMBLING." Last week we had a Bible study at our house and we talked about complaining. Good grief, I must sound like such a whiner to God.

Here is the thing though, I am realizing more and more-that they greater my weaknessess--the greater is His strength.

Now back to asking God to forgive me for being such a knuckle head and ask Him for his strength.