Frozen Pizza Boost

When you have a bunch of frozen cheese pizzas (like Dijornos), you can always add fresh veggies- like green pepper and onion to make a pretty yummy pizza. You can do 1/2 cheese for the kiddos and 1/2 veggie for the adults.

A 40th Birthday Weekend Bash

Earlier this year my husband turned 40. Now, apparently 30 was a traumatic birthday for my husband and he was somewhere in Siberia when he turned 30 (that's really the truth he was in Russia in a town called Novosibirsk-which I always imagined as a little village, with chubby Grandmas and chickens, but it turns out it is a gray city with tall unremarkable buildings and a million people..really not a village with chickens...)

Anyway, I wanted to make 40 BIG for him. I am quite a bit younger (Yay for me!) so I don't have to fear what he'll do in return when I turn 40, by then I should have had plenty of time to express my desire for a quiet 40th b-day on a lush island with blue sky and no hint of black anywhere.

Friday at work his co-workers spoiled him with a surprise birthday party.
Saturday morning our neighbors and some old family friends came over for breakfast. Then Saturday night we had a gourmet dinner prepared by Ty's siblings and spouses and we had 2 couples, friends and great musicians join us. We had the best dinner conversation EVER. Seriously, it was great!!! I organized a shower of cards, I think he ended up with over 75 cards to open.

Then Sunday morning we had a lite breakfast with our church and for lunch I just gave Ty the name of a restaurant and the address and he showed up only to find two old friends waiting to have lunch with him.

He had a good time, and the fact that he was turning 40 blew by a lot faster b/c there were so many people to hang out with.

I want to encourage you if you are going to throw a big party for a big birthday, to consider doing it in smaller increments with less people so the guest of honor can visit with everyone.

I have pictures....I'll post soon.

An Unusual Place of Rest

I found an unusual place of rest. It's the chair in my hair stylist's studio. Often when women go to get their hair done, it is an opportunity to get lost in doing something to treat yourself and hopefully a break from childcare! :-)

I've been thinking about the people that have styled my hair over the years. I am thinking of the one that started it all, VW, who was my stylist for over 10 years. Man I miss her. She retired to stay home with her kids. We both got married about the same time, and had kids around the same time. I watched her go from a having a minimal faith in God to a thrist quenching relationship with Him that couldn't leave you with anything but a curiousity about what God was doing in her life. How cool it was for me to get to see her every 8 to 10 weeks and see this transformation in her life. It was really awesome.

Then there was the girl from Lativia that cut my hair in St. Louis. She was sweet and had so many stories to share and so many questions for me about why I would choose to marry a guy who wanted to be a minister. Why would I do that...When I could marry a successful man, one who makes money?!?

Then there was the girl who cut my hair just before we moved from St. Louis. Just 8 weeks postpartum from my second daughters birth. I found sanctuary from sleep deprivation, packing boxes to move and being overwhelmed as I sat in her chair. She didn't talk to me for 45 minutes. She was the quietest hairdresser I've ever met. Maybe we were both just glad to have a break from talking. After feeling guilty for not interacting more, I found that all her replies were no more than 3 words in length, UNTIL I asked her about cooking. Then she talked my ear off!

Now I've been shopping around for just the right person to cut my hair and let me sit in their chair and escape for a few months now. I've met a lady who nearly lost a child during pregnancy and spent over 4 months going back and forth from her busy hair salon to the NICU. I got to hear about how she never knew how much she could love someone until she had her little girl.

Now I've found a new friend and stylist. I sit in her chair, and she's good with me just hanging out in my own little world, taking a break from noise and the needs and demands of little people. But when I last saw her, she was on the eve of visiting her mother, who was about to die. She told me all about her Mom and fun family stories.

Isn't that amazing? How cool is it that these women would open up their lives to me? I think it is amazing. And I can thank them enough, for opening up their businesses and delighting in their work and most of all for letting me sit in their chairs and hear about their lives.

They made me feel welcomed.

Lunchie

Who wants to come to my house for lunch?

I have decided that I have this meal, right smack dab in the middle of my day and it would be a perfect opportunity for me to have someone over, just to hang out and talk.

I'd love an excuse to go out to lunch with a friend too.

Don't you think we are missing out on some good hang out time? Lunch is a great opportunity to connect with old friends and new.

So, let's go to lunch....

An Unexpected Find

I have a list of things that I would like to see get done around the house or a list of things I'd like to have for the house.

Because I have decided to be a stay at home Mom, we have to watch our pennies pretty carefully. My husband is a pretty busy dude and when he gets home he just wants to love on his kids. So asking him to do chores around the house is pretty low on the list of priorities for me. So, things that take time go on the list too.

I make this list and put it on the fridge. I pray about it. (Yes, you can pray about stuff like this.) God wants to hear not only our fears and hurts but he is a loving Father that wants to hear about our desires and hopes too.

Friday night I got to cross one of the things that I've been wanting for 3 years off my list!!! It wasn't a big deal in terms of money, but there is always something else more important to buy. Friday night I picked up a new decorative mirror for my guest bathroom. It was regularly $88. I got it for $23. It's better than what I would have picked out on my own.

I was so excited, I could feel my face turning red and my heart racing. I had just prayed about all the stuff on the list earlier in the week, and look what happened when I least expected it! A blessing.

God cares. I like that about Him.

The Importance of Appetizers

This week I made a meal for about 25 people.

You are not going to believe this, but I didn't lose my mind. In fact, I didn't stress at all. I know you are probably thinking some sort of alien inhabited my body, but I assure you I am still Kelly.

I just decided early on that I wasn't going to stress about it. It was a meal for my family, as we gathered to celebrate my Grandmother's life and share memories of her.

So how do you feed 25 people lunch? Well, it wasn't too hard for me to figure out, that I didn't want to cook the main dish. So I had them catered. As an expression of sympathy, some families we know got together and donated a Honey Baked Ham and Baked Ziti Tray.

So, then I just kept it simple. Added side dishes to complement the main dishes.

Appetizers were the most important part of the meal. Now I've never put much emphasis on appetizers before, but I've found that they are essential when feeding a big crowd. Some people run really late and sometimes the main meal doesn't come off on time.

Banana Puddin'

Banana Pudding is a comfort food. I can't not believe how many people love banana pudding! I made a banana pudding this week for a crowd of folks and they devoured it!!!

2 boxes Banana Cream Jello Pudding Mix
Vanilla Wafers
Milk
1 1/2 sliced bananas

I lined the bottom of a deep pie dish and the side of the dish with Vanilla wafers. Then I placed sliced bananas on top of the cookies. Then I poured about 3/4 of the pudding in the dish and took the 1/4 and stashed it for a snack later.

I made it about 90 minutes before my guests ate it.

Planning a Big Family Meal

I wrote last week about a very special lady in my life, Mama.

Mama went to be with God on Sunday night. She slipped away from us here on earth in her sleep and is now in Heaven.

Tonight my Sister, Mom and I sat around the table preparing for a family meal tomorrow. My sister is making my Grandma's Potato Salad, which by the way, is very YUMMY. The recipe card was so sweet. Written in my Grandma's distinct handwriting --Something passed down from one generation to another, but what was so cool about it- was my Grandma had written it out especially for my sister. It had all the ingredients and at the bottom it said-

"It may not taste exactly like mine at first. But keep practicing. And remember, that everytime I was making it, I was making it for someone special-- "YOU". I love you, Mama. "

Good Grief! I started crying. How sweet is that?! Joy in serving others and reminding them of your love for them. A good lesson for me.

Here's a heaven verse for you:
(This is Jesus talking to his disciples)
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going." John 14 verses 1-4

Accomplished! Well sort of....

I blogged earlier this week about reorganizing my kids' art closet.

Well, I got it done! After 5 days of procrastinating about getting it done, I finally did it. You might ask me what closet organization has to do with hospitality? I think a few different things. One is that with kids, arts and crafts, are a big hit. I have found that I've had some my best conversations with other Moms, while we sat around and played play doh with our preschoolers. Two is, that with having people into your home, you generally do a little straightening up. I have found that have an area sectioned off in my house for arts and crafts has been enormously helpful in the clean up process.

Now while, my art closet is pretty neat and tidy, I did recover a dreaded box of stuff that I need to find a place for. Like I said...clutter has away of just moving from one place to the next. So that's the "sort of" part of this post. I am sort of done organizing the closet.

My husband insisted that I show you a "Before" picture. He said I come off too much like a Martha Stewart if I don't show you the front end of the project. I assured him that my readers all know that I don't have it all together..he obviously doesn't read my blog! But there is no glory in the organized if you can't see what came first. Good Grief! What a mess!

Mama- A Great Hostess

My Grandma, "Mama", helped raise me. Both my parents worked and worked hard outside of the home. We spent a great deal of time with Mama as a result. I've written about her before on this blog-she really is one of the people who showed me how opening up your home should be a blessing. I never saw her stress about having people over. Ever. Actually, I am not sure I ever saw her stress over a meal to be honest with you. This lady could cook, talk, clean and make you feel like you were the only person in the room all at the same time. Actually she set the bar so high in my mind, I never felt like I could measure up. I obviously missed the whole point, "enjoy those that come into your life" and "there is always room for more".


Mama is in the last days of her life. She has come under Hospice care just last week. She's been sick for a long time and she's getting older. As a result, I've been thinking a lot about all the things that she has taught me over my life.

Even as her body weakens and her mind fades in and out--so frail in her hospital bed, she lifts her head, her eyes fill with joy and she welcomes you into her room and asks you how you are and immediately looks to the child in the room and says "Hey shug. Get you something to eat." And she has a stash of goodies in a drawer she points to or reaches for a her purse to get you give the child money to go to the vending machine. My 3 year old daughter knows and has known since a very young age, that Mama loves her and wants to see her.

What an amazing lesson for me. What an amazing lady! There is always room and time for those who come to visit. Kids should be treasured and a delight. I think a lot of times we forget about making them feel welcome.

Mama has shown me love over my life. And she has shown so many, love and care. I hope that when my life is fading and it is time for me to go to Jesus, that it can be said that I loved God, I loved my family and friends, I treasured and delighted in children, I welcomed many into my home and I cared for those in need.

I don't want to waste another second! I gotta go hug my cute little curly headed girls and tell them how much I love them and how much God loves them.

How Long Will It Keep?

I pulled this guide out of Martha Stewart Living a couple of years ago...it is a guide to how long to keep food in the fridge(34 to 40 degrees)

FOOD
Raw Chicken 1 or 2 days
Raw Beef Roasts 3 to 5 days
Raw Steak 3 to 5 days
Cooked Chicken 3 to 4 days
Cooked Meat 3 to 4 days
Cooked Fish 3 to 4 days

I Am So Glad I Don't Have Cable

Here is why- I would be addicted to all the "clean sweep", "redecorate your room in 24 hours" and Food Network shows.

Seems like I am always reorganizing something around my house. I am a container addict. It's really a sickness. I love organizing stuff and uncluttering. Unfortunately, it seems like my clutter just moves from one place to the next despite my best efforts to be organized.

This week I am going to work on my kid's art closet AGAIN. Seems like once a quarter I have to clean out the beloved arts and crafts center and start all over again. I'll take pictures of it when I am done. I got a lot of the organizational ideas out of various magazines. I am going to try and not get mad. I always get mad about this particular area of the house b/c it seems like there is a place for everything, why can't it all get put back?!? But, I just realized the other day that I am guilty of just tossing stuff in there too. Uh-oh. I am going to have to be on my best behavior b/c I contributed to the mess!

We'll see how it comes together.

Mini Meat Loaves

I got this recipe from Cooking Light when my husband was in Graduate School and I was trying to learn how to cook. It's pretty easy and it is very good. I prefer it in the winter when it is cooler outside, but sometimes you just need some comfort food.

Mini Meat Loaves

Total Time: 35 minutes

1/2 cup ketchup
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 pound ground sirloin (leanest hamburger you can find)
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs (I use Pepperidge Farm stuffing in blue bag)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Cooking Spray

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray dish with cooking spray. (I uses a square glass casserole dish) Combine ketchup and mustard, stirring well with a whisk. Reserve 2 1/2 tablespoons of mixture. (This part gets a little messy-so be prepared to not answer the phone, fix a 3 year old a drink and scratch your nose) Combine remaining mixture, beef and next 6 ingredients (beef through egg) in a large bowl, stirring to combine. (I use my hands-hey, they are going to get dirty anyway!) Divide beef mixture into 4 equal portions. Shape each portion into a 4x21/2 inch loaf, place loaves in dish. Spread reserve ketchup mixture on top of each loaf.

Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes or until done. Serving size:1 loaf

I typically serve with a green veggie, taters (mashed or scalloped cheesy ones out of box) or rice and green salad.

Key Lime Pie Recipe

Here is a link to one of my husband's favorite desserts and a must have for a summer dessert:

Key Lime Pie

http://www.keylimejuice.com/recipes/key-lime-pie.htm

Easy Macaroni Salad

Follow this link to a really yummy Macaroni Salad Recipe:

http://www.makesameal.com/home.asp?p=recipes.asp&r=135

It's really yummy. I leave out the green/red pepper though. It's perfect for a picnic.

How did I do?

Well, the other night during my post about not worrying so much about what other people thought of me and thinking about how much God loves me---my in laws called and were going to "drop-in".

Now there was a time when I would have had a freak out and at even the thought of unexpected company---BUT this time I behaved myself. I cleaned the dinner dishes off the table and swept popcorn kernals off the floor and then I thought about how nice it was they were stopping by.

There was a lot that wasn't "perfect" that night, but I managed to sit and snuggle my kids while I waited for company, instead of scurry about the house trying to make it all look just right.

So, while I did well not to freak out--I still saw what wasn't perfect. I think I am making progress with God's help.

I want you to know that you are an important SOMEBODY to Him and so am I. Maybe we can learn this lesson together.

" The Lord your God is with you. He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing." Zephaniah 3:17 (A Bible Verse)

1-1-1-1 Peach Cobbler

I made my very first peach cobbler today. I made it with white peaches which was absolutely yummy, BUT my mother in law likes it better with yellow peaches and she gave me the recipe! So she probably knows what she is talking about.

8 small peaches or 5 large peaches- sliced
A square 9 inch pan. (I used an 8x8 square casserole dish--worked fine)
1 cup of milk
1/2 or 1 stick of butter (how much is really up to you)
1 cup of self rising flour
1 cup of sugar


Preheat oven to 350. Place stick of butter in dish and place in oven to melt. In the mean time, mix milk, flour and sugar together in a bowl. Take pan with melted butter out of oven. Place peaches in pan and pour milk/flour/sugar mixture on top. Allow to bake 45min to 1 hour depending on how golden you like your crust.

Let stand 15 minutes and then dig in~ It is soooooo yummy!

I liked this quote.

I was in church today and our Pastor said something that really resonated with my heart AND I think applies to my struggle with being such a perfectionist.

He said (something like this):

"Sometimes we are so concerned with being somebody, that we forget that we are loved by someone."

He was talking about how we get so wrapped up in being "somebody" in the eyes of others, instead of realizing that we are loved by someone very important, God.

I believe if I could stop obcessing all the time about how perfect everything is or what people think of me, that I might actually be cured from this problem of perfectionism. I am too worried about being the "somebody who does it right". Why not just keep it be simple and be Kelly, the girl God loves?

Okay- the phone just rang. My in-laws are coming over!!! Right here in the middle of this post. Now what you have to understand is that my mother in law is an amazing woman and is BETTER than Martha Stewart at hospitality, decorating, etc.

Heh. God has such a sense of humor sometimes. I think He might be trying to teach me something. An impromtu guest, right in the middle of my post about relaxing and just knowing I am loved. Sheesh!

I'll let you know how I respond.

White Peaches

They are delicious. Try them. YUM.

Just a thought....

I really enjoy it when people stop by my house unannounced. Call me crazy, but I have always loved it when someone feels comfortable enough to pop in whenever they're "on my side of town" just to say hi. I don't feel pressure to have a picked up house b/c they didn't forewarn me that they were coming and I can just sit and enjoy a visit. Most people don't feel comfortable just stopping by someone's house unannounced...I have, but now that I have 5 children I don't feel nearly as comfortable about it as I used to. Anyways, all that to say...last week a friend of mine picked something up from "the big city" for me (we live 45 minutes from where we go to the doctor/mall/Target) and I was going to swing by to pick it up after dinner. It just so happened that we were going to McD's to get some ice cream sundae's for the kids (a buck each, can't beat it). What we ended up doing is calling my friend and asking if we could bring them dessert and visit for a little while since we were going by anyways. It was a very nice visit....easy/no mess or dishes, the kids ate and then ran around while we visited...in all it was about an hour. Now, this particular friend has had us over for dinner before...but in general I think it's hard to invite a family of 7 over for dinner - just the logistics of seats and 2 babies...it's just crazy. But, this ended up being very nice and I am looking forward to doing it again with other friends and acquaintances that we have.

A really good tofu recipe...

It's been a while since I've posted anything....we've been fighting stomach bugs and fevers around here...seems like it's unending for us! Anyways, I have a really yummy tofu recipe that I wanted to share with any interested parties. :) I know that sometimes just the thought of tofu isn't appetizing at all, but this dish is delicious (i promise)...my husband (who is a picky eater) and my kids (2 picky ones) even enjoy this meal. Here are the ingredients:

1 package of firm tofu (i get the nasoya brand from wal-mart)

1 pound of ground pork or turkey (pork is tastier, turkey is better for you)

seasonings: dried or fresh garlic, dried or fresh ginger, soy sauce

about 1 cup of heated chicken broth (mixed with some flour/cornstarch)

Basically, I take the brick of tofu, microwave it for 1 1/2 minutes and then cut it into little cubes. While that's microwaving I cook and drain the ground meat...then I add the tofu and seasonings to taste and stir in the chicken broth mixture (just to make it saucier)....and simmer that for a little bit. We always serve it over rice....and tonight I just added a can of green beans for our vegetable. Mmmm....I even have some leftovers which I am very excited about. :)

Anyways, I hope that someone will try this (let me know if you do!). Tofu definitely has a stereotype to it that can be hard to get past, but I'd challenge you all to step out on a limb! (btw-i get a brick of tofu and microwave and cube it up for my 4 year old and twin 1 year olds...they would eat the entire thing if I let them!)

Inexpensive, Fun Kid Entertainment

A friend recently had a 4th of July gathering and had her guests decorate cupcakes and then she placed the cupcakes in a cupcake tree for the centerpiece of her table. It was super cute! And later they served for a great kids dessert.

I decorated cupcakes with 4 of my favorite little girls this week and it was sooooo much fun! It was hit with the girls. I sent the cupcakes home with our guests, and they had already made a list of people they wanted to share them with. And they were so excited about it.

I love the attitude kids have. They make things and they are eager to share them. I watched each one of those girls decorate a cupcake for someone special. They thought about what the person might like and did the best they could to make it special for the person. They kept it simple and just had fun. Then they were bubbling with excitement to share them.

I think I learned a couple of great lessons from our cupcake Entertainment. 1) 3 year old curly headed girls like to eat the cupcakes as soon as they decorate them. And if you don't watch them carefully they will bite the center out of their portion of cupcakes. And double dip in their icing. 2) Sharing what you bake/cook/make should be fun, not stressful. 3) There is so much joy in sharing with others.

Brain Freeze

I recently had some kids over for ice cream and one of them experienced brain freeze/headache from eating ice cream too fast.

Here's a trick: Place your tongue on the roof of your mouth to warm it up or drink a glass of warm water. This will tell the nerves in your mouth they are warming up and sends the message to your brain. It actually works!

Try it out.

Breaded Chicken with Parmesan

Breaded Chicken with Parmesan

1/2 cup butter
3-4 chicken breasts OR chicken strips (as many as you want)
2 cups of Pepperidge Farm Herb Seasoned Stuffing (Blue Bag)
1/3 Shredded Parmesan Cheese
Dash of Salt and Pepper


Melt Butter. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In bowl mix together Stuffing, Parm cheese and salt/pepper. Dip chicken into butter, roll chicken in bread mixture, place in casserole dish. Pour excess butter over top of chicken in casserole dish. Bake 50 minutes.

Note: You can bread the chicken alot or a little depending on your diet. We love the breading at our house, so we go for it. I tend to put the chicken breasts really close together in a pretty dish, so it looks great when it comes out of the oven. This great for leftovers the next day and you can slice it up an throw it on a salad.

A Creative Card

My daughter and I have decided that we're going start doing our cards that we attach to gifts differently. We've decided to start cutting out actual initials for weddings and babies and the age of the guest of honor for birthdays.

So, I gave a gift to new baby Bridget the other day and cut out a "B" for her card. Then our friend Cody had a birthday party, so we cut out a "5" for her 5th birthday celebration. I have a friend that will be getting married soon, and I plan to cut out her new last name initial "W". It's a fun way to decorate a gift and it is very inexpensive.

On the back we wrote a message to the guest of honor.

I Got Caught!!!

I don't know, maybe I should get thrown in perfectionist jail or enrolled in a clean freak probation program or something?

The other day we were having people over. We were cleaning. I say "we", because the whole family decided to pitch in because I asked for help. (Yeah, I am getting better, aren't you proud of me?!!!! Well, in theory, that's what I am saying but maybe it isn't 100% true just yet.)

My husband was so sweet. He cleaned the guest bathroom for me and was an enormous help.

I made a pact with myself long ago to always check the guest bathroom for myself when we were going to have company. This is because one time, I just glanced at the guest bath and it looked good to me. We had company, had a great time and after they were gone I had "a seat" in the guest bathroom, only to find, Reese's Cup Chocolate and Peanut butter hand prints in places that only a cute curly headed three year old could reach and were only visible in the "seated" position. I was so embarassed--- I am embarassed to say that having potty trained a little person recently, my first thought was (OH, NO!!!!). Then I realized as I ran through my head of how this could have possibly happened without my knowledge that it was in fact candy. Cute curly-headed little persons favorite food group. ... To a guest it really could be mistaken for something else....

So, I always take "a seat" in the guest bathroom before people come over. Well, I went to do this the other day, after my husband cleaned the guest bathroom and found splotches on the bottom of my mirror, the faucet had spots on it and the towel was not hanging right. So, I re-cleaned the guest bath while my hubby wasn't looking......I recleaned the whole thing. (I know it is a sickness.)

BUT HE CAUGHT ME!!!

Boy did I feel silly then. I had to apologize. Thankfully, he just laughed at me and told me I was crazy. He had every right to be completely frustrated with me. But thankfully, he extended grace towards this: "I-have-to-do-everything-around-here-if-it-is-going-to-be-done-correctly" nuthead.

Pause. (Here it comes...you've heard it before!) I realized I was being ridiculous. An approval freak, and perfectionist. I apologized to my husband and I had to apologize to God. Remember, I asked God to help me- and I keep returning to the same bad behavior.

I can laugh at myself now. I think when you really realize your forgiven, that sense of shame kind of goes away, and you can look at your mistakes and say you know....I was an idiot, but God loves me anyway.

And He does love us, even when we are ridiculous.

Cooking with MB

I have an eight year old daughter (MB) who has recently shown a lot of interest in cooking. This week she cooked her first meal for our family.

MB had some help cutting veggies and slicing a watermelon. But the rest she did on her own!

She even picked out the dishes, placemats and set the table for her meal.

MB's Menu

Parmesan Chicken (breaded chicken w/ parm cheese cooked in the oven)

Watermelon (chilled)

Sauted Veggies with Italian Herbs

Broccoli

We didn't do dessert this time...That parm chicken is a real favorite with my kids. I'll be sure to post the recipe soon. I love cooking and baking with kids, b/c it is such a great way to spend time together, having time to talk and also an opportunity for them to share something they've created with others.

Sauted Vegetables with Italian Herbs

Next time you saute some veggies (like onions, carrots, and green pepper) throw in just a dash of basil and oregano. YUM! So good-but just a dash. The natural flavors of the veggies are fantastic, so the herbs are just a way to do things a little bit different.

A House Warming Gift

Our family has been invited to a few housewarming parties lately. I've been thinking a lot about a gift to bring to the homeowners, as they've opened up their home for you to come by.

Here's what I came up with for the last party we attended. Not too expensive. We got a decorative box we had and filled it with 3 herb plants- oregano, rosemary and cilantro. Then we made a little card on a popsicle stick and stuck it in the plant.

Our hosts love to cook and I think will dabble in gardening, so we're hoping they'll enjoy it.

I've got a few more thoughts for housewarming gifts: a good bottle of wine, orchid, return address labels with their new address, book labels with their new address, My Yellow Pages, I've even seen someone give a small subscription to the local paper for their small town.

A Summer Supper for a Crowd

Recently I went to a supper held at a friend's house for a bunch of people. I think there were 10 of us total. First of all, the company couldn't be better. I sat around the table looking at some of my favorite people.

The host and hostess served pulled pork sandwhichs on hamburger buns, fresh corn, cantelope and homemade coleslaw. For dessert we had homemade pecan pie.

Makes you hungry, doesn't it?

While I we were having the meal, our hostess got up and turned on some soft music to fill the background. It was really nice~

I hadn't thought about adding music. This was a really nice touch.

Pretty Much Strangers.

Yesterday we had dinner guests, which was super fun, because we didn't know them at all! In fact, they didn't even know my name until they arrived. How often do you do that? I don't think I've ever done that. We've had folks that know little about us over, but never complete strangers. It was really fun. Give it a try!

One thing I've learned from the few times we've had people we knew little about and now people we knew nothing about was that you can't depend on your main dish. If you don't know much about them, it's hard to figure out what to cook. So I've made it a habit to have a really good salad, with multiple choices for dressing, a good loaf of bread and brownies or chocolate chip cookies for dessert.

I figure if the main dish isn't good for them, they can pile on the salad and bread. And most people appreciate a simple brownie and choc. chip cookie.

The Mad Hostess

Okay, my response to my perfectionism and stress is to get mad. So having people over made me mad because for some reason I felt like everything had to be perfect and I would stress because being hostess was work for me. That's why I deemed myself the Mad Hostess.

When you really struggle with something, you need help. Since we all struggle, we all need help. But sometimes we just can’t bring ourselves to ask for help or we are too prideful to admit there is a problem. Wait, I forgot something…maybe it is too hard to change. Or if we change, we might actually have to do something about the fears we have or we are afraid we won’t be as much fun to be around. Especially if something changes between us and God.

I finally realized that my temper tantrums, perfectionism, shutting people out rather than inviting them in--was really uncool. I was tired of it. And so I asked God for help.

It wasn’t an overnight change. And I certainly still struggle from time to time, but when you can hand something over to God and say “God, I need you. I need your help.” He can and He will.
Kelly, you think, you’ve got no real problems, you just didn’t want to have anyone over. It wasn’t that I just didn’t want to have anyone over…it was that I was holding myself captive to a bunch of expectations that don’t matter in the scheme of things. I was enslaving myself to anger, fear of disappointment, perfectionism and fear that my guests may not like my home or my food.

So, I asked for help. I asked God to help me not get so mad. I asked if He'd give me a better attitude, instead of being so perfectionistic. I asked God to forgive me for caring so much about what others think and help me to stop making having folks over about me and make it about the people walking through my door.

I don't want to sound like "I've arrived" and I don't struggle. Sure I struggle. But thankfully not as much I did at one time. And I know I can go to God with my struggles. That's a good thing.

So, the point of this blog is I realized that their are other people who aren't natural hosts and chefs. I thought since I'm learning, I'd share what I am learning. What I've found works and doesn't work. I also hope that someone else can be encouraged by how reaching out to God and asking for help with your fears, struggles and disappointments can really change you.

Thanks for reading!

Rolling out the Red Carpet....

We have been travelling for most of the month of June....it's been total craziness with driving from one state to another...anyways, there was a neat hospitality moment that I wanted to share here. We lived across the hall from a sweet family in seminary and they were constantly having people over....whenever they would have a guest over they would "roll out the red carpet". I don't know where they got it, but they have a red carpet (with a gold colored edging) that they would welcome their guests in with. Anyways, we spent the night with them on the way to one of our many destinations and joy of all joys they had rolled out the red carpet for us!! What a fun way to welcome a guest....we felt very loved. :) Such a little thing, but so much fun!

Time Out!: Lasanga Recipe

Okay, I am still going to tell you how I fell into actually liking hospitality as soon as I can figure out how to say it best. I've been messing with the post all week and I just can't say it the way I want! So-I thought I'd post my lasanga recipe in the mean time.

Like the chicken pot pie-if you are going to the trouble of making one, you should go ahead and make one to share with someone else! :-)

The Recipe couldn't be easier.

Kelly's Lasanga Recipe

Buy a box of Muellers Lasanga Noodles. Follow the traditional Lasanga Recipe on the back. For your Tomato Sauce use Prego Traditional Spaghetti Sauce and Ricotta Cheese. I use lean ground beef and part skim cheeses. (to try and shave off some of the fat) Prego even has a healthy heart version of their traditional sauce-still tastes good.

That's it. It's super easy and most people enjoy it. It can get expensive-so be sure to keep that in mind.

I typically serve it with fresh bread and a salad.

The Mad Hostess: Hello, My Name is Kelly. I Get Mad.

Okay, so I have a confession to make. Having people over was always a big deal to me. In fact I would get mad. Not at the people coming over, but mad at my husband for inviting them (yeah I know real mature), my kids (for being kids and making a mess) and myself (for not being really good at being a housekeeper, cook, etc.).

If you've been to my house, I loved having you here. I am always okay, once my guests arrive. And I enjoy them. My freak out/temper tantrum usually happened/happens before people come over. I've mostly grown out of this problem, but like any problem (or sin), I am confronted with it from time to time.

Look, some people just have the gift of hospitality. Some people are extroverted and love to be around other people. Some folks can whip up something in the kitchen effortlessly and serve it on fine china. Some people have immaculate carpet and a well decorated house. Some have all of the above. I am an introvert, I didn't enjoy cooking, I am not a great housekeeper and learning to decorate has been an uphill battle. So, when people were coming over it seemed like a lot of work for me physically and emotionally--I'd get mad.

My perfectionism also made me mad. My expectations, you got it, made me mad.

Do you have something that just really makes you mad? What do you do with that kind of anger? How do you move past a road block? Why do you keep falling into the same trap? Are you as tired of being angry as I am/was?

I am going to attempt to talk about what changed...how I went from becoming extremely aggravated and mad about having people into my home, to actually really enjoying it. So, check back in a couple of days...

The Mad Hostess

So, over the next few days I am going to explain why I gave myself the title of "The Mad Hostess".

But, Kelly, I thought you liked to entertain folks? You seem to like it when we come to your house?!? What's going on here?

Well, stay tuned and you'll find out!!!

This is the whole reason behind the blog. :-)

In the mean time it is freaking hot in North Carolina! This is just craziness.

Roasted Red Potatoes

Roasted Red Potatoes

2 lbs. small red potatoes, halved (or quartered)
3 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. paprika

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a small roasting pan/cookie sheet toss the potatoes with oil. Arrange potatoes on pan so that the cut sides are down. Sprinkle the salt, pepper and paprika on top. Bake in oven for 25 minutes (took longer for Kelly!) until potatoes are tender inside and the undersides are crusty brown. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

Editor's Note: They weren't good reheated- so be sure you are serving them to a crowd that will finish them off. They make the house smell really good while they are cooking.

Girl's Night In!

I had a girl's night in with some friends....we brought appetizers to one of our house's and shared them and some conversation....less expensive than going out and nice to be somewhere quiet where we could talk and eat. I brought a recipe that a college friend had given me for spinach dip and hawaiin bread....

Buy a loaf of hawaiin bread and cut a circle out (cutting that piece up in bite sized pieces)

the dip: thaw and squeeze out a 10 oz. package of spinach,

mix that with 16 oz sour cream and 1 cup of mayonaisse, and a knorr vegetable soup package.

It is easy and delicious!

My Yellow Pages

When I first moved to St. Louis a few years ago, my friend and native of St. Louis, CB, gave me a little spiral book called "My Yellow Pages".

You guys, this is one of the most thoughtful gifts I've ever received. Inside the book was lists of restaurants (less expensive, moderate, kid-friendly, expensive), the best places to get ice cream, good doctors, dry cleaners, grocery stores, banks, etc. She also had a map of St. Louis in the back of the book that showed where I was going to be living and all the major roads in the area.

Today, I was talking to friend who has been introducing herself to her new neighbors. As we chatted she explained that these folks that had just moved into town didn't know where anything was. That's what brought the "My Yellow Pages" back to my mind.

I have a set of neighbors that will be moving into our culdesac in the next few weeks. I think I might put together Kelly's Yellow Pages for them. I have no idea if they are from the area, so I might wait and spring it on them if they actually need it. If they are from this area, and don't seem to need it, I'll just tuck it away for my next set of new neighbors.

I hope that for someone, I can save them a little time and offer them a welcome by taking the time to help them connect with the community, even if it is just a list of names and phone numbers of local services to start with.

Quick....Dessert!!

Here are some easy desserts for when you have folks over:

Sugar cookies, wafers, or choc. chip cookies and ice cream. I love, love, love Lifesavers rainbow sherbert with sugar cookies. So good!

We also love to serve rasberry sorbet. It's kind of expensive sometimes, but if you catch on sale, put it in your freezer for a summertime dessert.

Sometimes I like to put brownies in the oven before my guests arrive so the house smells good while we are eating dinner. Add some chocolate chips to them, makes them really yummy. My dad is from New York, he likes to ice his brownies with cake frosting. White cake frosting. (Too much sugar for me!)

Popsicles. Especially banana pops.

Pudding pie. Mix chocolate pudding together, pour it in an oreo pie crust. Put in fridge for about 30 minutes to an hour. Serve with a a little whipped topping and garnish with a berry/cherry/hershey kiss.

I have more desserts to share-but they take a little more time.

A Girls Night Out Baby Shower

My sis in law is getting ready to have her first little girl. She already has a precious little man, but she finally gets to shop in the girls clothes section and have tea parties!

For her baby shower, we decided to take her out for a Girls Night Out and surprise her with a baby shower. We ate at yummy downtown restaurant. We had the restaurant replace their stark white napkins with pink cloth napkins, tied with a simple pink bow and a little plastic pacifier dangling from it. (We brought these with us) We ordered a baby pink flower arrangement to sneak on to the table. (Also brought with us, avoiding a delivery fee). We also ordered a corsage for the guest of honor. I think I may skip flower corsages for my guests of honor in the future. They are expensive and most people really don't enjoy them that much.

We ate dinner and decided to have dessert at a family member's home that lived nearby. When we arrived at the hostess' home, she had a Blue Moon Bakery Cake (local Cary, NC bakery) on a beautiful white cake stand and china sitting on the table. We had our choice of coffee or several varieties of sparkling water. The cake, chocolate with a strawberry mousse was really good! The presents were mostly pink and really precious.

This evening was fun, because we were able to celebrate this new life over a meal, where someone else cooked, cleaned and lets face it, moms rarely ever go out to dinner as a group. So this was a special treat. Moving dessert to someone's home took a little more time, but it provided the opportunity for us to have a more intimate time to talk, share and watch the guest of honor open her gifts. The best part of the evening was hearing about my sister in laws hopes and excitement for her new little girl and getting to ask God to bless this little life.

___________-tasting party!

KB has been wanting me to share about something I had done back in seminary days. We had a Girl's Night In to hang out and watch a movie together, but started the evening with a popcorn-tasting test. I got several brands and types of popcorn (in hindsight I probably should've gotten several different kinds of "butter" popcorn...or something that was more consistent, it's hard to compare orville redenbacher kettlecorn with act II light butter popcorn) and popped a bag of each and put them in bowls (numbering the bowls from 1 to 10). I had everyone try the different popcorns and rate them from favorite to least favorite so that we could see the results. It was fun how several people were surprised that their favorite was some cheap no namebrand. I was inspired by a friend who had had an orange soda tasting contest (I would've done root beer, but not everyone likes root beer). Anyways, it's a fun social thing and you can pretty much use anything you want (ice cream?, potato chips?).

flylady helped me clean my sink....

Ok, so it's been a crazy week....my 7-year old started last weekend with a fever/stomach bug.... my twin 1year old girl had pink eye in both eyes on monday, I got a fever on tuesday (along with headache and sore throat) ends up it's strep...and my twin 1year old boy has gunky eyes today! Whew....needless to say, the house isn't in any condition for visitors (not that i would let anyone near this germ infested place)...however, today I did get a Lysol wipe and wipe down every doorknob and light switch (plus the telephones and computer mouse). And, yesterday, I shined my sink! I think that there are times that if I can just get something done it does my mental health well. It was that way with my sink yesterday. Here's the link: http://flylady.net/pages/FLYingLessons_Shine.asp I know that there's more to life than a clean sink....and I know that this has nothing to do with hospitality, but my week hasn't had much to do with hospitality....just survival. :)

A Shared Anniversary

We have friends and neighbors, D & B, who share our same wedding anniversary. Except they've been married 32 years and we've been married 9.

Last week we got an invitation from D & B to come over to their home for dinner, so we could celebrate our anniversaries together. Maybe this is a new tradition! My mother and father in law have friends that they go out with every year that celebrate their anniversary around the same time. They've been doing this for over 20 years. I think it is a great idea!

D & B fed us well- steak, baked potatoes, yummy rolls and salad. They had a pretty table set, with fresh flowers. The company was great and conversation really fun! We learned a lot about Nascar/car racing and movies. I also finally got to walk around and check out all of D & B's collectibles. They've got some really great stuff!

One of the best parts of the evening was dessert. Our hostess served us, in tall sundae glasses, a banana split sundae. (I think that's the right name...picture coming) But it was layers of tiny vanilla wafers, banana, banana pudding, chocolate sauce, strawberrys, whip cream and topped with a cherry. It was sooooooooooooo good! I highly recommend it!

D & B were great hosts. It's nice to have friends, that also feel like family. And it was really fun to share an evening and anniversary with D & B.

I Hit Every Single Red Light in Town.

Our family was bringing bagels in to church for our "hospitality" area. My husband goes to church early because he is the music guy, so he and my 8 year old took the bagels with them. But I didn't send the cream cheese with them.

I planned on arriving early to the church, so I could make sure everything was all set up and deliver the cream cheese. Wouldn't you know the morning didn't go according to plan? As I pulled out of my driveway, I knew I was cutting it close on arriving early. I got about 4 minutes down the road and realized I'd left a necessity at home, so I had to turn around. At this point I am starting to seriously freak out. I get back in the car realizing that I am going to now get there when everyone else does. I am pretty upset at this point, but at least I am not going to be LATE.

Wrong.

Then I proceed to hit every red light between my house and church. As I get further down the road, I see traffic backed up. Utility crews had a 5 lane road down to 2 lanes. Yeah, it wasn't pretty. I was really getting worked up at this point. I now knew, hope was lost, I was going to get to church late. People were going to arrive, be delighted to see the bagels and then realize there wasn't any cream cheese.

Most of the drive, I tried to blame everyone I could (except for myself) for the cream cheese not being there on time. I had suggested my husband take it earlier and he insisted I should bring it, leaving it in the fridge as long as possible. I blamed my 3 year old for being cranky and uncooperative. I couldn't figure out why on earth utility work had to be done on Sunday morning and I was mad at God that He didn't make every light between home and church GREEN.

I hit the world's longest traffic light, the one in front of our church's meeting area right as it turned red. I sat there for what had to be several minutes. That's when I began to realize my husband was right, he gets there a whole hour earlier than everyone else and I needed to keep the cream cheese cool. My 3 year old was just being a 3 year old-she is time challenged and it isn't anything I don't deal with on a daily basis, so I should have expected her resistance. The utility work probably had to be done. And as for the red lights, I am sure that was just part of the lesson.

Right there in sight of my destination, I realized that I was being an approval freak. A perfectionist. A blame shifter. Not a person looking forward to church but a person worried about what everyone was going to think when they saw these nicely arranged bagel platters and no cream cheese! And somehow, they were going to know that I was responsible for things not going perfectly. It was at that moment, I had to apologize to God and say I was sorry. I was being ridiculous. The bagels and cream cheese were about offering hospitality to others..some how I made it about me.

I got there and nobody cared that the cream cheese was 15 minutes late. Seriously, the only mention of the cream cheese was when someone thanked me for setting up the bagels and cream cheese.

After church I was visiting with a friend. I told her that I was thinking a lot about hospitality, and she said she'd always struggled with it. But she heard a quote once that went something like this, "It doesn't matter so much what was is on the table, but what matters is who is sitting in the chairs."

I think that captures hospitality. The pretty table is nice, the cream cheese being out with the bagels is a good thing, but in the end what matters the most is the people you are spending time with.

I learned my lesson, God loves me despite my failures, insecurities, blame shifting, etc. And of course, it's not about the cream cheese.

Baby Carrots

Ever notice how sometimes baby carrots are really bigger than bite size? Some times they can get kinda fattish.

My sister-in-law, Joy, came over to help me with the first party I ever threw at my house last year. She really was at my home for moral support b/c honestly I had no clue what I was doing. She asked me how she could help and I suggested that she could arrange the veggie tray. I pulled out a bag of baby carrots and expected her to wash and plop them down on the tray.

Joy washed the baby carrots and proceeded to pull out a cutting board and sliced the baby carrots in half and sometime quarters. Now, I was completely baffled by this. As I examined what she was doing, I realized that she was a genius! First of all, a lot of times the baby carrots are too big and it is awkward trying to eat them because they require such a big bite. So, the smaller pieces are more gracious for someone trying to maintain some manners, it is easier to carry on a conversation b/c you don't feel like you've got a huge piece of food in your mouth, it is probably a lot nicer to your teeth and it makes for more veggies to serve. Also, I find the carrots are addictive at the smaller size, a good snack for folks.

Baby Carrots is also the name of the first song my hubby ever wrote for me. (I know! How cool, I married a guy that writes me songs!)

A Luau!

I love our culdesac. Seriously, I have the greatest neighbors! It hasn't taken me long to realize that we just live in a unique situation and are blessed to have these great families living around us.

The gathering this time was spear-headed by A&G and they deemed it Luau night. They sent an evite. (I still love this method of invitation) The Evite was great! It had the whole Tiki theme going on in bright colors. Our culdesac tends to have cookouts and gatherings from time to time, but this time was different. We had so much to celebrate- a bunch of birthdays, a couple of anniversaries and a sweet neighbor who is leaving us in just a few weeks. Our hosts decided that we needed to get together and so they put together a Luau!

Our hosts would cover the main course and kid friendly food. Because we were all able to see the same evite and respond, it was really easy to see who was coming and who was bringing what side or dessert to share.

As usual, it was a feast!!! The great thing about A&G is even though they've got a busy schedule and 4 cute kids, they had luau decorations. A luau banner, a palm tree, tiki cups for the kids, palm tree centerpieces, themed plates and a flower lei for each person to wear. I found out they got all their decorations from the Dollar Store. (Love that place!) They even had a canopy set out for shade and everyone brought out their lawn chairs. A&G made a lemon slush drink for the kids and the kids kept begging for more. We had cookout food: burgers, mac and cheese, speedies, D&B's famous pasta salad, cheese and crackers, potato salad, a veggie tray and fruit tray. Yummy cake and a fruit pizza. And then later for double dessert or for some of us, triple dessert, an ice cream cake! The hostess was even armed with a sharpie marker, so we could label kids' cups to prevent mix ups and so they could have a souvenir to bring home.

A & G did a great job picking out a reason to party, a theme and they couldn't have had better weather for this event. I happen to know our hosts were packing up their Luau stuff for next year, so I better start looking for an island print shirt for future Luaus!

It's great to have neighbors. And to actually know them....even better! I am thankful God brought us to a place where we have had the opportunity to get to know ours. They may not know this, but we are extremely grateful for all of them! (I know you guys read this blog--I'm not just sayin' it--I mean it! We think you guys are great!)

Easy Banana Nut Bread

I used to make my banana nut bread from scratch. But recently I was in a time crunch and decided to pick up a banana nut bread mix and just add real bananas to it. It's less expensive than making from scratch.

It worked! And it as better than my homemade 'nana bread and a lot less trouble.

I use Krusteaz banana nut muffin mix. Follow the directions for the banana bread on the back of the box and just add 1 1/2 real bananas to the mix. I find that it takes longer in my oven than 50 minutes to bake-but you'll know once you stick a toothpick in the center or not if it is done.
I've made it this way several times and gotten lots of complements. I try to keep a box or two in my pantry all the time.

My 3 year old goes in the pantry every week and asks if we can make some 'nana bread. It's become a nice once a month cooking lesson for us both. It's been a good lesson in hospitality for her too, because it has taught her how fun it is to share something you've baked. She usually shares it with her dad, because he's her best friend.

FONDUE!!

I remember my first experience with fondue well. It was at Mimi's house. She was my other Grandmother, also a natural hostess, amazing cook, friend, encourager. In fact if she wasn't in heaven with Jesus, I could hear her cheering me on now! The thing is, Mimi had a bunch of kids and she passed on her hospitable nature to them all. And to this day they all love having folks around.

Mimi had this great fondue pot. It had to be from the late 60s early 70s. I think it was mustard color or somewhere in that color family.

I remember getting to cook my own food. I remember too, how much fun the conversation was. Everyone gathered around the table, talking, laughing.

Fondue to this day seems to be a great way to gather folks for a fun treat. You don't have to "fondue" at home you can go out and fondue. There is a restaurant chain around the US that is centered around fondue. One year a bunch of women all married to Grad students went out for just dessert fondue at a restaurant. It was a lot of fun. None of us had a lot of money, but we were able to all treat a guest of honor and participate for around $8 each.

We have done fondue with high school students at our home as well. I think we laughed the whole time. It was great!

I have some fondue cheese and chocolate recipes I'll be sure to share soon. In the mean time, why don't you think about getting out your fondue pot inviting some friends or neighbors over. Or borrow their fondue pot and ask them to show you how it is done.

My Company Meal...

I have a company meal. My husband, I believe, has gotten a bit tired of my company meal....however, I continue to make it because it is easy to prepare and make and it is tasty. The recipe is stuffed chicken rolls....we would make it in my apartment senior year in college.

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts (filleted to make 8 pieces)

3 oz. package of cream cheese

2 Tbsp of dried chives

Bread crumbs

salt and pepper to taste

Pound the chicken fillets with a mallet (or wooden spoon), Mix cream cheese and chives together and spoon 1/8 of the mixture into center of chicken, Roll the chicken up and roll in bread crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until chicken is done.

Serve with green bean casserole and rice.

I'd post a picture, but I don't have one right now...anyways, the recipe is a fine recipe...but the concept of a "company meal" is what has freed me up to enjoy having people over to our house for dinner. Granted, I need to have a 2nd company meal for people who come over more than once...but that's beside the point. The point is, because I've perfected this meal, I always have the ingredients on hand to make this meal....I am able to put it together quickly enough to not stress about it...and it tastes great! Feel free to try and make this dinner...but I would encourage you (more so) to find a meal that you can prepare relatively easily and make your own company meal. :) We have had about 13 families from church over to our house for dinner (not including people from outside of our church) and I think that at least 9 or 10 of those families have eaten my company meal. Crazy, eh? Like I said, my husband is a little tired of this meal.... but for my sanity he'll eat it.