Meal Planning with Connie

When I opened my fridge Saturday afternoon to see what I could find to make for Sunday school this week, I found two rolls peanut butter cookie dough that were very near their “use by date.” Doing a quick Google search for a recipe that would work with ingredients I had on hand, I found this one on Pillsbury’s site. With a little tweaking to accommodate the ingredients I had in the pantry, I came up with Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookie Bars! Don't be afraid to play around with recipes! You never know what delight dish you might create. Even if you flop, as I so often do, you'll learn something from trying - even if it is just what not to do! It's like peanut butter and chocolate. Each is great, but they're better together. ~ Richard Whitehead Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies Bars Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies Bars Cut into small squares. As you can image, these are very rich. 1 jar (18-ounce) peanut butter 1/2 cups powdered sugar 1 teaspoon va...

“A year of snow, a year of plenty.” ~French Proverb This has ended up being “Soup Week.” It is certainly soup weather! We got a bit more snow and ice last night. Much like people who feel they bring on a rain by washing their cars, we have decided we brought on this unusually snowy, icy weather for our area by getting MC a puppy for Christmas. It sure is cold taking a doggie out in the inclement weather! Big bowls of hot soup have been perfect for warming us up! Tamale Soup Tamale Soup I have made this soup for years, tweaking it from time to time as my kids’ taste developed and different tomato products came onto the market. This is my latest version! Ingredients: 1 pound ground chuck, browned and drained 2 cans Mexicorn, drained 1 can beef broth 1 packet taco seasoning (or 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, and 1 teaspoon salt) 2 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce for chili 2 (15-ounce) cans beans, drained (kidney beans, pintos, black beans - all of one or a combination) 1 ...

“A blessed thing it is for any man or woman to have a friend, one human soul whom we can trust utterly, who knows the best and worst of us, and who loves us in spite of all our faults.”   ~ Charles Kingsley “There is nothing like a plate or a bowl of hot soup, it's wisp of aromatic steam making the nostrils quiver with anticipation, to dispel the depressing effects of a grueling day at the office or the shop, rain or snow in the streets, or bad news in the papers.” ~ Louis P. De Gouy My dear friend, Julie, fed my kids several times over the past few months, while my dad and Larry were recuperating. Julie is a great cook, and the kids really enjoy getting to visit with her! While they love everything she makes, I do believe this is their favorite. MC even asked me one day – “Can you eat Taco Soup for breakfast?” I know there are tons of recipes out there for Taco Soup. The first time I heard of Taco Soup was more than twenty years ago, when my friend Mrs. Frances got the rec...

Elijah and the Widow at Zarephath  Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. Then the word of the LORD came to him: “Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food.” So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, “Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?” As she was going to get it, he called, “And bring me, please, a piece of bread.”  “As surely as the LORD your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.”  Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yoursel...

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Galatians 5:13-14 Our Sunday School lesson this week was on serving others. Doesn't the verse above do a wonderful job of reminding Christians of God's calling upon our lives? How humbling to think that the God of all creation wants to use me to bestow His blessings upon others! Astounding! Opportunities abound if I am only alert and faithful! All that remains of our nice snow from last week are a handful of half-melted snowmen scattered around town. It was fun while it lasted, and our family had no injuries this time, much unlike the mishap we experienced during our bout with frozen precipitation back in December, when Larry fell, broke three ribs and punctured his lung, which landed him in the hospital for a couple of days. Poor guy! For those w...

Sausage Ranch Squares Sausage Ranch Squares I made these for Sunday school last Sunday. I created them with things I had in the fridge. I thought they were pretty good! Everyone said they really liked them! 1 tube refrigerated pizza dough 1 pound ground sausage, browned and drained ½ cup ranch salad dressing 2 cups grated pizza blend cheese Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat an 15x10-inch pan with cooking spray. Press dough into prepared pan. Combine sausage and ranch dressing. Spread over dough. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Cut into squares.

He says to the snow, 'Fall on the earth,' and to the rain shower, 'Be a mighty downpour.'  Job 37:6  Although we rarely get to build the "real" thing, we ingenious Southerners won't go without! We still manage to find ways to have snowmen in our yards!  This is our "Frosty the  Bird Feeder," with real snow on the ground!  Here in the sunny South, we rarely get the kind of snow we received on Sunday. Because our snows are "here today and gone tomorrow," we are all crazy about a good snow down here! We know Northerners laugh at us for the way we take on over a few flakes, and that people who live in the snowy regions get just as tired of the snow by winter's end as we do of summer's heat and humidity here. But honestly, we just can't help ourselves! We're crazy for a bit of snow! Christmas was made extra special this year in our neck of the woods, because we woke to thin blanket of beautiful, white powder. According to...