Birthday dinner...

So this week was my 47th birthday and it was a good one. We had a good standing rib roast, it was very good and I am thankful that friends came and we all had a good time. This is it before it went into the oven. We carved it up too fast to take a after picture! Oh well...

A couple of friends and I rented 3 movies on Sunday, one of them was 'Horrible Bosses'. It is a very bad movie, lots of foul language and just junk. We turned it off after 20 minutes and I would not recommend that movie to anyone, lesson learned.

I took my friend to the train station after the movie night as he is going home to visit with his folks, on the way we discussed favorite stuff and one of the questions we asked one another was; 'what was your favorite sermon?' I have a couple but none would come to mind at the moment. But after thinking about it further I would have to say it was a sermon I heard about a guy's salvation and deliverance from a bad way of life. I won't go into the details but the hope that this guy had was incredible. His life is changed forever by Christ. I am glad that I have a saving relationship with Him and that it is a life changing relationship. God changes your heart when you trust in Him.



I was reading about Landau E. Murphy Jr.'s appearance at the West Virginia Governor Tomblin Inauguration and how he sang. He has such a great voice, I am glad to because we needed another crooner. Go Landau!

Well that is about it for this time. Hope you all have a good week and as Landau says: "stay positive".

Well I forgot to take the camera with me when I went over to my friends so I do not have any pictures of the Pollo de limón con chorizo y cerveza that I made. It was incredible though and next time I make it I will definitely take pictures. I also made a breakfast casserole this weekend and it was really good.

First I fried some bacon until crispy, about 4 slices.

Spray a 4"x4" pan with cooking spray.

Beat 4 eggs and salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

  

 Put 2 cups of frozen hash browns on the bottom of the pan. Crumble the bacon over the top.

Sprinkle with 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese.

Pour eggs over the top of the hash browns and bacon.

Use 1 can of refridgerator biscuits to top the cassarole.

Now I baked this at 325 for 10 mins, the biscuits were getting done but the eggs were not setting up completly, so I had to keep putting it back in and lowering the oven temprature because I did not want to burn the biscuits. So when I make this one again I will cook it at 300 degrees for 35 to 40 mins.



The end result. It was really good and easy to do.

Well here is is fall already and it still is not getting very cold out here in Sunny California. But I know the weather will change soon and then it will be stews and soups weather, however I for one am not waiting. I came across a recipe recently on the web for 'Chicken Stew with Parsley Dumpings', (the recipe is below). Seeing the recipe really got me thinking about my Grandma Taylor's recipe for Chicken and Dumplings (Her recipe is also below). Believe me it is the best Chicken and Dumplings you can have, so easy and so,so good.

My Grandma was an incredible cook, unfortunately I was too young and too much of a picky eater when she and my Grandpa were still alive to enjoy much of her creations but her recipe for Chicken and Dumplings was passed down to my sister and so we make it to this day just like grandma made it.

Her simple recipe was no fuss, no muss.You can have it on the table in about 40 minutes. Like I said before it is very good but I had to modify it a bit. My sister taught me how to make Grandma's Chicken and Dumplings but until a few ears ago I never tried making it. One day I decided to give it a try. I never boiled chicken before and my parents were on a road trip so I called a friend and asked 'how do I cook chicken for soup?' She told me to add diced onions, carrots and celery to the water while the chicken cooked and add some thyme, parsley flakes, a little cumin, some garlic powder and salt and pepper to taste. Well I started adding all the vegetables and seasonings when my sister came into the kitchen and said "That is not how you make Grandma's Chicken and Dumplings". I said "I know but I am trying it a bit different this time". Well after it was finished Judy (The aforementioned sister) said that "we should make it this way from now on". I totally agree. :)

Here are the recipes. Grandmas is first with my mods in parenthesis and the Chicken Stew with Parsley Dumplings is next. I found the Chicken Stew recipe on the web somewhere but it has been so long that I don't remember where I got it at. Ah well... Hope you enjoy.

Grandma Taylor's Chicken and Dumplings

1 Whole chicken, cut up. (6 chicken thighs, bone in and skin on)

6 cups water

(2 large carrots, chopped. Reserve 1/4 cup)

(1 medium yellow onion, chopped. Reserve 1/4 cup)

(3 stalks celery, chopped. Reserve small handfull)

(1 tablespoon Parsley flakes)

(Pinch dried Thyme)

(Small pinch cumin)

Salt and pepper to taste

2 1/4 cups baking mix (Bisquick)

2/3 cup milk

(Chopped Parsley for garnish, if desired)

Bring chicken, (seasonings and vegetables) to a boil, reduce heat and cook for 20 mins or until chicken is done.

Meanwhile mix baking mix (Bisquick) and milk in a bowl until soft dough forms, you may have to add a little more baking mix. On a lightly floured surface roll out dough to 1/8th inch thickness and cut into 1 1/2 inch squares.

Remove chicken from broth and debone completely, removing all the skins and shred into bite sized pieces. 

Skim foam from broth and put chicken pieces back in. Add reserved onions, carrots and celery and bring back to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and drop dumplings in, one by one, using a spoon to drop them into the liquid and not on top of one another, until all are incorporated. Cover and simmer for additional 20 minutes (this is important as covering caused the dumplings to partly boil and partly steam, don't uncover until the 20 mins is up, then check dumplings to see if they are done. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and Enjoy!

If you have leftover turkey this Thanksgiving you can make this with it, instead of cooking the turkey in the water with the seasonings and veggies just use canned chicken stock and add the chopped turkey in just before you add the dumplings.



Chicken Stew with Parsley Dumplings2 1/2 to 3 lb. broiler fryer, cut up
4 C. water
1/2 C. chopped onion
5 Tbs. chicken instant bouillon or 5 bouillon cubes
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 C. sliced carrots
1/3 C. all purpose flour
1/2 C. water
1 1/2 C. sliced celery
2 C. biscuit baking mix
2/3 C. milk
1 Tbs. parsley flakes

Heat chicken, 4 C. water, onion, bouillon and pepper to boiling in a 4 qt. Dutch oven; reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Add carrots and celery, simmer for 15 minutes. Mix flour and 1/2 C. water. Stir mixture into chicken broth, chicken and vegetables in Dutch oven and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Mix baking mix, milk and parsley until soft dough forms. Drop by spoonfuls onto boiling stew. Cook, uncovered over low heat for 10 minutes. Cover and cook 10 minutes more.

Hi there. Hope you are having a great day.
If your not I suggest going into the kitchen and cooking yourself something good and delicious. Then before you dig in pray that God will brighten your day.
Food can be so comforting, food combined with genuine thanks to God and prayer for yourself and others can be healing. But don't overdo it, just enough to satisfy and that is it. God is like good food, He is warm (James 2:16 our actions to others), comforting(2 Corinthians 1:3), good(Mark 10:18), satisfying(Psalm 145:16) and He is good to our bones (Proverbs 3:7-8). Here is a breakfast for you to try and be comforted;

Tim's Chorizo skillet

You will need:

4 Oz Chorizo

1/4 lb diced, cooked ham

4 eggs,

1 small onion, diced

1 small tomato, diced

1 small clove garlic, minced

4 cups frozen hash browns, country style

1 tsp Paprika

1 tsp Garlic salt

Pepper

1 tbs parsley flakes

Vegtable oil

1 cup Shredded cheese of your choice

To put it together:

Add 1 tbs oil to pan and bring to medium high heat, break up chorizo and add to oil and cook until chorizo starts to render down a bit, add potatoes and 3/4 of the onions and turn up heat to medium high. Cook until potatoes and onions soften then add diced ham, then cook 5 mins. Whisk eggs in a bowl and add a bit of salt and pepper. Add eggs, cheese, remaining onion and tomatoes. Cook until eggs are set and enjoy with some good prayer, and toast!

Keep looking up and you will see where you need to go.

Oh and by the way iMac liked the bit I gave him, but it upset his little stomach so please don't give any to your pets, thanks!

I should have known better.

The Whole Armor

Ephesians 6:10-18 explains the Armor of God, the pieces are; The belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the preparation of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God.

I really enjoy this passage and today while I was studying about the helmet of salvation it occurred to me what it was. It really is or hope of living in eternity in all joy and gladness. No more sin, no more temptations, no more sorrow. Thinking about the helmet when tempted to take the reins in my own life (Something that I don't want to do, rather I want God to have the reins and therefore the Glory) helps me to see the bigger picture. I just need to slow down and let God instead of trying to speed up the process. I want, I need, I will, I can, I do... turns to I want to wait on God, I need to wait on God, I will wait on God, I can wait on God, I do wait on God and then it is so much better than if I tried to hurry up the process.

Lost in time....

I am a good bit impressed with season 5 so far of the best show on T.V. Lost is really gripping and this season does not seem to be dragging along but is edge of seat good.
I think that good ol' Faraday told Charlotte that he loved her just to give her a constant so she would not die. I hope it works because I want to know more of her character and why she was on the island before, (as implied by her look of wonder and the 'I shure missed this place' gaze around when she first parachuted onto the island). And why she wanted to go back so badly.
I also want to know what Ben meant when he told Jack to pack everything he held dear in a suitcase because he was never coming back. I guess the island really does need a Dr. full time.
OK well not much else to say, so....

Until next time.

Lost and a crazy little dog.

Here we are again and it is mid January, Lost gets going again in only 2 more days.. Can't wait for that. Last season the island was moved, although we do not know where; moved in time or moved to another location in it's current time... Well we will have wait until Wednesday to see...




On another note iMac was sleeping the other night after he got 'tucked in' with his blanket and he fell asleep on his nose! Check it out...


That dog is crazy, but in February he will be 9 years old so he is getting up there for a dogs life. Wow I guess if you buy into the 7 to 1 year thing he is middle aged in dog years. I don't know I think he is slowing a bit but sure still has a ton of energy.
OK enough for this time. See you all next time.