Happy New Year!!!!!

Sorry I have been gone AWOL, but this new job has me out of the home more than I would like. However, if I am to pay the bills, it must needs be done. Hopefully, I will be home soon and have more time.

We are all well here, no sickness thank the Good Lord! Honey has been busy, busy, putting up sheet rock and insulation, putting in a new garage door and working some overtime as well. I have been busy working and keeping up with the housework, too.

Amidst all of this busy-ness, we still find time for God. You know, many people say they don't have time to go to church or worship God, but he gives us 24 hours a day - every day. Can't we take just an hour or two out of that to devote to him? And don't get me started on tithing! The money that you "save" by not tithing will be paid somewhere else - many times to a doctor or an "unexpected" bill. So let's show our Lord some love this year!

I am looking forward to the new year with great anticipation. I am not going to diet as such - just eat more sensibly and exercise more. I may not set the world on fire, but I will enjoy my life. I will pray more, get into the Word more, be more in tune with God!

I mentioned earlier in my blog that I had a Christmas tea party for the ladies in my church. As usual, fuzzy headed me forgot to take pictures whilst everyone was here! But I do have the soup recipe from the party - ummy yummy! I am also going to share the recipe for friendship tea - everyone's favorite!

Mexican Chicken Soup

4 chicken breast halves, cooked and cubed
1 can chicken broth
1 can Rotel
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 lb. Velveeta cheese, cubed
1 Tablespoon chili powder.

Combine all ingredients in crock pot and slowly simmer until hot.


Friendship Tea

1 (18 oz) jar Tang
1/2 to 3/4 cup sweetened lemonade mix
3/4 cup instant tea
2 (3 oz) packages apricot or peach Jello
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Dash of cloves
3 cups sugar

Mix and store in airtight container. To serve add 2 heaping teaspoons tea mix to 1 cup hot water.



As you can tell, I did mix-n-match snowmen for decor and it worked great! I used the tablecloth that I had left over from a work party, then the napkins were from my great friend, Marie. The plates and cups I found on sale at Dollar Tree. The great thing about living in the country is you don't have to be too fancy! I served the cranberry cake with hot butter sauce for dessert and we had finger sandwiches.

I wish everyone reading this a most blessed new year!

Busy, Busy, Busy

Sorry that I have been so neglectful here lateley. We have been transferring utilities, closing on the house (this afternoon) preparing to move, getting ready to shampoo carpets, in between working full time and making my veil and bridal bouquet, getting things together for favors and punch and . . . . .You just name it, we are doing it.

I am afraid that next week is not going to be much better, I work Monday and Tuesday, Wednesday take off at 0'dark 30 to take Mom and Dad up to Columbia to the VA Hospital for check ups, dentist apt, and Mom is having an echocardiogram. Then I work Thursday and Friday I will be moving, unpacking and generally going insane. Boy, does that ever sound like fun!

I am giving you today the recipe for my punch. My cake is going to be white with fall-colored roses - just a 2 tier, no topper, the top covered with roses in fall colors - burgundy, yellow, orangey-pink, then clusters of roses spaced out along the sides. We are doing the tables with yellow tablecloths, mini pumpkins and fall confetti and leaves. We are having dinner catered in, fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls and peach cobbler. We are having punch, coffee and iced tea. (I know, sounds kinda like a country hick wedding - wait, IT IS a country hick wedding!) Instead of the de'rigeur mints and nuts, we are putting out my autumn mix - peanuts, candy corn, M&Ms and raisins in leaf-shaped candy dishes. I just want everything to be relaxed, not fussy.

Delightful Punch
35 servings

2 (12 oz) cans frozen orange juice concentrate, undiluted, thawed
1 (12 oz) can frozen apple juice concentrate, undiluted, thawed
1 (10-20 oz) can frozn Bacardi fuzzy navel mix, undiluted, thawed
2 (46 oz) cans pineapple juie, chilled
2 (16 ounce) cans orange soda
3 liters Ginger ale
4 cups vanilla ice cream or orange sherbet

In large punch bowl, mix all juices together. Add orange soda, ginger ale and ice cream just before serving.

I am using a mix of vanilla ice cream and orange sherbet to make it interesting. Should taste kind of like a dreamsicle.

That said, I will not be posting until at least Monday again! Love ya 'all!

Spicing up an old-fashioned favorite

I love old-fashioned lemonade. Not the powdered stuff that you mix with water. Not the stuff you buy in a 2-liter. No, I am talking the stuff that you mix yourself, made from simple syrup flavored with lemon zest, lemon juice and water. The pucker-you-up stuff.

Imagine this: In Victorian days, no air conditioning. No electric fans, even. You have on a long skirt, bloomers, and a long-sleeved blouse, buttoned to the neck. Boots on your feet. It is HOT! Scorching. 90+ in the shade. Dry, dusty. The air shimmers with heat. Suddenly - Clip-clop, clip-clop down the street comes the ice man. Now, there is no soda and I don't believe most victorians drank iced tea, maybe they did, but this is my story. So what do you make? Lemonade!! You put some ice in it and sip away and are transported (mentally at least) to a shady tropical beach, with big breakers rolling in and crashing. A cool breeze blows. Relief!

Ok, so lemonade syrup is simple easy to make. But let's spice it up a bit! Make it a bit different. Give it a Zing!

Spiced Lemonade
This is enough for 4 drinks, 6 if you add more club soda

1 lemon
2 cups water
1 cup sugar
4 whole allspice
4 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 tablespoon chopped crystallized ginger
Pinch grated nutmeg
1 cup fresh lemon juice (about 8 lemons)
1 cup club soda OR seltzer water, chilled
Mint sprigs, for garnish (optional)

Remove rind in pieces from lemon with swivel-bladed vegetable peeler; avoid any bitter white pith.

Combine water, sugar, lemon rind, allspice, cloves, cinnamon stick, crystallized ginger and nutmeg in small saucepan. Bring to simmering; simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.



Strain into pitcher and chill; discard solids.

To serve, stir in lemon juice and club soda. Serve over crushed ice. Garnish with mint sprigs, if you wish.

You can just make the syrup, add the lemon juice and keep that in the fridge. Then to serve, just mix it with club soda to taste.

I do have to thank DS for this recipe! He made some last night and it is very nice!

Fountains

Fountain sodas. Old-fashioned goodness. Drink 'em through a straw. Or not and have a milky mustache. They are super easy to make.

Think of a hot summer day, the sun has just sunk below the horizon in a flaming red ball. It is nearly too hot to move. Maybe you have been swimming all day and have a sunburn. Maybe you just got done with a rousing game of baseball. Maybe you have been canning pickles all day.

Gotta have something to cool off. These are just the ticket, and they don't cost an arm and a leg to make. Kids can do them as well as old folks. Everyone that I know enjoys them. There is just a bit of fizz, but still creamy.

I heartily apologize for not having any pictures here, my son has commandeered the camera and I have to steal it back.

Fountain Sodas
Makes 1.

Ice cream - we used DQ soft serve
Chocolate syrup - or whatever flavor you like
Club soda

Place 1 scoop ice cream in tall glass. Drizzle with syrup, as much or as little as you like. Another scoop of ice cream on top. More syrup. Slowly pour in club soda and swizzle to mix. Imbibe!

Check here tomorrow for a sensual recipe!!