Opportunities

Embracing the Unknown

Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.

~Psalm 25:4-5~

Father in heaven, You see all that takes place in my life. Know this gives me peace as I face transition. I exchange my uncertainty for Your promise of security. Open my eyes to the wonders of every turn, tangent, and seeming detour I encounter. I don't want to miss a miracle by starting a new journey diminished by regret, pride, or misplaced longing. I want to long for You. For the path You carve out for me.

Remove the blinders from my physical and spiritual eyes, Lord. I want to see the beauty of the landscape You have built around me. And I want to savor the opportunity that rests on the horizon. As I face a new direction, this time my heart flutters with excitement and not with worry. I am eager to see what You have in store for me. I accept Your provision, Lord.

(Excerpt taken from One-Minute Prayers for Women)

This is how Cam and I are feeling today...so much goes on each day that requires our attention and change. At times we doubt; how could this really be the direction we are to take? And other times it feels like: how could we have possibly doubted you Lord?!

What we need to work on is our ability to listen. It's important to us to go through our days doing what we think God is asking of us. But what we need to remember is this: we need to focus on Him and His direction to truly grasp the opportunities He provides us with each and every day.

So as we move through the rest of the week, try to acknowledge those moments in our "ordinary days" that may be more than just ordinary. Perhaps these moments are of God and we need to recognize them and work with them.

I hope this helps you through the rest of your week ahead!

Enjoy!!

The Last Bit of Summer: Preserved

 Having completely crossed over into autumn (finally, weather-wise, day-light-wise, and everything else beautiful that comes along with it) I know for sure that the flavors my garden provided me with in recent months has come to an end...sadly. In my haste to beat the dropping temperatures, I picked every green tomato left on the vines of my slowly wilting tomato bushes. I brought them in, placed them on a bench, flat and not touching each other, and hoped they would slowly ripen and fill my fall/winter days with the enticing flavors or a perfectly ripe tomato.

Since that day, feeling like so long ago, Cam and I have been enjoying fresh heirloom tomatoes for breakfast (on eggs:-), lunch, and dinner! But  as I gazed out at that tomato bench sitting in my garage, I've noticed how MANY tomatoes have decided to ripen at once. Now, I enjoy tomatoes, but even I have limits. I couldn't and can't keep up with them as the ripen and I can't bare to waste the bounty I was so blessed with - and knowing I'm out of canning jars and freezer space - I needed to come up with a new use for these beauties. I mentioned earlier I was going to try my hand at drying tomatoes. My first attempt failed but I wanted to try once more before I threw in the towl.

I pulled back out that beautiful piece of equipment my parents got in their first years of marriage....going on 35 years in March!!...and put it to work.

I sliced my tomatoes to about 1/4" thin and laid them out on the screen trays - designed for this particular dehydrator/smoker - turned the temperature to 130 degrees (respectively), turned on the fan, and let them go. I filled six trays of sliced tomatoes. After about 4 hours I would rotate the trays (moving them down consecutively) and removing the tomatoes when they were dry.

By the end of the day, I had successfully dried six sheets of sliced tomatoes - all slightly smoky since we've used this dehydrator for smoking things in the past - and ready to freeze. I've used a few in couscous and they are phenomenal! I love knowing I can preserve summer just a bit longer...we have all worked hard and diligently and deserve the chance to hold onto all we worked for!

How are you preserving summer? What have you found that works out best for you and your families needs? Share with us!! It's amazing to know we can help each other out...personal experience is how we learn!

Enjoy!

Dirt: Where a Gardeners Life Begins

If you stop to think about what makes your garden beautiful and productive, several things will come to mind: it requires time, dedication, care, love, good seed, diligence and some know-how. But if you stop to think about what makes your garden grow...it starts with your soil!

 

I love my compost - both worm and outside bin - and in the spring, before I plant, I always amend my soil with it. It gives the seedlings and new plants a healthy starting point. But I have also come to realize there are several things I could do to help the health of my soil before spring arrives. It even helps rid my grass of some of my yard waste. Enter, mulch.

 

Since winter is just around the corner, I decided to mow my grass and leaves (probably more of the latter ;-). What was deposited into my lawn-mower bag was beautiful grass and leaf mulch. Instead of adding it all to my outdoor composter, I decided to add it to the garden soil.

 

I simply emptied the contents (more times than I care to remember) directly onto my garden soil. After I was finished, I wanted to turn the soil under so the debris had a chance to mix with the earth helping decomposition along. I tilled the entire garden with our gas tiller. When I was finished, I raked it smooth.

For the next several months, I will allow a cover crop to grow (most likely weeds - just a crop that naturally sprouts this time of year). This, as well as the mulch I added, and the compost I will add again in the spring, will add an abundance of nutrients my soil needs to support my garden next year.

Gardening requires a lot but it all begins in the soil...the earth. When it is healthy, you will have a garden that can support you and provide you with more beauty than you can imagine!

Have fun with it! I did all this work yesterday and woke up to snow this morning!! The weather can change in an instant so work diligently to finish up! It'll pay off next year!!

Enjoy!

Flock Into My Garden

In my garden, each season brings a special gift. Whether it is the pale green buds appearing after a cold winter; the first flowers of spring; the prospect and work of a vegetable garden and the anticipation of crops I will soon enjoy; the changing colors and smells as the days cool down and everything begins to hibernate, or simply the darker days that beg for tea and a cozy blanket! Whatever the season, I always have something to look forward to!

This time of year - like the beginning of spring - the birds begin to make their way back in search of food and shelter. In anticipation, I make sure each feeder is full, the houses are clean and the bushes are left for cover. I find ways to put out fresh water in my bird-bath each day when it freezes over and I make sure, nutritionally, the birds have adequate fats and proteins to make it through the winter ahead. I love the planning and work it requires, but I love the outcome. I am blessed with so many different types of birds each year...and I LOVE birds!!

Each fall, winter, and spring, I make sure my regular feeders (filled with the basic 'Song Bird Food' from your local store -  made of millet, sunflowers and nuts), suet feeders (generally I have several different kinds - berry, nut, high-energy, etc), and my thistle feeders are full and wait for them to arrive! I make sure that some of my garden's plantings produce berries to attract new varieties as well! Thus far, my Virginia Creeper has been the most popular. Last year, we spotted a lone woodpecker at our suet feeders. This year, that very same woodpecker variety has been a constant in our garden!! I have A Field Guide to Western Birds by Roger Tory Peterson, 1961 (I realize it may seem a little OLD, but birds don't change that much!), and it's what I use to see which birds are in my garden. This particular woodpecker (pictured above and at the beginning of the article) is a Red-Shafted Flicker or Gilded Flicker! They are beautiful, call a most unique call, and LOVE Virginia Creeper berries. I'm thrilled!!! I've spotted as many as five at one time lining my fence for a chance to steal a berry!


As for the rest, I occasionally see another Woodpecker, a Scrub Jay, Starling, but for the most part, my feeders are visited with Wrens, Chickadees (more so in the cold winter months), and Finches! They not only bless with me with their presence but they fill my days with their songs and their comical antics! I love just sitting with a cup of tea and watching them just 'be' at the feeders and in my garden. Such simplicity never looked so beautiful!

Invite them into your garden! Just a little seed, a little water, and patience will beckon them. When word gets around, you'll have more birds than you know what to do with!! These wonderful creatures provide an enormous amount of peace and a time for reflection we can all use! Take advantage of it and invite these wonderful creatures into your garden! As you watch them interact, play, and eat...it'll be hard to regret your invitation!

I hope you enjoy the birds as much as I do!! I can't wait to continue to find new species that find their way into my garden! What do you have? What do you do to attract them each year?! I have a good base and would love to expand on it with your help!!

Enjoy and have fun!!

Entering the Vintage Age!

 

As we perused through one of our local thrift stores with my most blessed guests - my mom & dad - Cam stumbled across something that intrigued and excited him; it was a set of 'vintage' intercoms! He thought that if they worked like the box claimed (!) it would solve the 'screaming and not hearing' issue we have in our two-story home. I could tell he was dieing to purchase these, and I was so caught up in the fact he was even IN the store with me, that I gave in and we purchased this Realistic Plug'n Talk 2-Station FM Wireless Intercom!

 

Within moments of our return home, Cam had plugged them in; one upstairs in our bedroom and the other downstairs next to the TV (I'll give you one guess as to who is where in our home :-)! And after a little tweaking we had communication!! They worked! 

 

We immediately began finding reasons to use them. I'd hit the 'call' button three or four times just to get a response. We would call each other just to say short little snippets or loving words when one would go into the other intercommed room. They are sooooo much fun!!!!!

 

If we were any younger, I think we'd play with them CONSTANTLY throughout the day ( I guess that tells you how mature we are, haha!).

 

Never underestimate the practicality of a 'vintage' item! Sometimes, the fun it brings is well worth the small price!!

 

Enjoy and step out and enjoy something new and different!!

Stepping Out

Today, after many recent work-related travels, we began to question our decisions on where and how we decided to establish ourselves, not only as a married couple, but also in our careers and life's work. We began to see opportunities we've passed up and chances we allowed to pass by because it would be difficult or different. We were almost overcome by a sense of regret and 'what if's'. This is what helped us through:

The First Step

 

In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.

~Proverbs 16:9~

 

I have great intentions, Lord. You know my heart carries with it many hopes and plans. Some have come to pass, and others I wait for with patience from You. But lately I sense my life shifting ever so slightly. One moment, my eyes are cast on a defined horizon, and in the next, they are peering at something hazy. Without my permission, without my foreknowledge, my true future emerges. You encourage my spirit to carry on.

 

Thank You, God, for letting me rest in the security of Your plans, not my own. Things change - sometimes so quickly that I lose my footing. But as I take the first step in a new direction, I know You are holding me upright and directing each step.

 

(Excerpt from One-Minute Prayers for Women)

 

There will always be something "better" on the other side of the fence, in the horizon, or in the distance. When we began to feel like we had missed out on opportunities in our life, and we read and reflected on this devotional, we realized that we are where we are right now for a reason. We need to make the most of it. If our dreams and intentions now are to come to pass, we can rest assured and take great strength from the knowledge that if, or when, newness comes our way, Christ will be with us directing us where we need to go!

 

It's easy to get caught up in the 'what-if's' in life, but if we can trust and rely on God, we will find our correct paths. And ultimately, happiness!

 

So, if you are finding yourself questioning where you are in life - which so many of us do - take hope in this verse. He will always be with us guiding us in the correct direction. We just have to listen and be willing to follow, wholeheartedly!

 

Have you had moments like that recently? What else helped you get through them? I'd love to hear about it!!

 

Enjoy!

Halloween Blessings

 This time of year, we are reminded of cooler weather, changing colors, darker evenings, and being able to spend more time together indoors...perhaps bringing us closer together. For just a moment, I hope you allow me to digress...I feel it's important so you know where I'm coming from when it comes to the 'holiday' of Halloween.

Growing up, we never celebrated any holidays, except 4th of July, Thanksgiving, Mother's and Father's day, and birthdays...due to what our religious beliefs were. But as I grew older, I began to understand more of the New Testament and the life and grace of Jesus and what a relationship with Him means. Since then, I've whole-heatedly accepted Christmas and Easter...but Halloween is still a holiday I don't truly/fully understand.

Growing up, Halloween was always a very intimate family night. We would always order a pizza, rent a movie, turn out all the lights and enjoy a night together...pure and simple. I loved it and I must admit, I miss that intimacy and simplicity...even though I enjoy handing out some candy! There is so much to be said about a family that can enjoy a night together; whether it be with a dinner and coloring, or a game, or a funny movie, or just talking and laughing...I think this world needs more of these moments!! But as I said, I digress.

I've never dressed up -  never felt the need - but I do enjoy handing out candy to children (and yes, adults too!!) on this night but I have been drawn to just what and how this 'holiday' came about. So I  began my investigation. Since I'm fairly new to this holiday, I decided to google it and find out more about the history behind this 'ghost, goblin, and witch'  connotation. This is what I discovered:

It originated as a Celtic Festival - Samhain - which marked their new year, November 1st. It was also a mark of the end of summer, harvest, and the darker colder weather of the winter months. Since the transition from light (summer) to dark (fall/winter) was associated with death, the Celts believed this was the time of year when the dead returned to earth; wreaking havoc amongst the local crops. They also believed it was also the time of year that was the easiest for priests to predict the future.

When it transitioned to the Americas in the mid-19th century, people began dressing up in costume and asking for food and money. This is what started our current trick-or-treating tradition (History Channel...check it out!)

As I consider myself new to this holiday, among others, and still unsure about how I truly feel about this day we choose to celebrate the 'darker' moments our world, I must admit that knowing the history makes a huge impact.

But as for this day, I can say this confidently: I believe in Jesus Christ. I know He came to save us if we just accept Him and acknowledge what He has done and continues to do for us!
 

Give to others; prophesy to others; display your happiness and contentedness, through Christ! Not only will this fulfill us as we move through our days, it will also spread His word on this day so associated to death and darkness.

 

How do you feel about halloween? What traditions do you partake in and hope to pass on...and why? I'd love to know how Halloween impacts you and your family! Share...we can all benefit!!

 

Enjoy!

 

Be safe and enjoy the candy!!

Simplicity and Peace

As I sit here tonight, with both my dogs at my feet and my cat curled up purring on my lap, I had every intention of writing about preparing your soil for the winter months ahead. But as I stared at the computer screen I felt compelled to write more about the things weighing on my heart than what has been busying my hands lately. So this is where I'm at...and I hope it's encouraging!

Longing for Company

 

And now, O Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the Lord's commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?

~Deuteronomy 10:12-13~

 

When was the last time I spoke to You from my heart? Some days bring trials, others bring joy. Today brings a mixture of both. I am thankful to have entered into Your presence because I was longing for Your company without even knowing it.

 

Is my day going as You planned? Am I missing something wonderful, important, divine? Help me embrace today's complexities, questions, and ordinary demands. Somehow just sitting here in Your presence is changing my outlook for the rest of today. Did You need to remind me that You were walking beside me? My pace has been so fast, sometimes even reckless, that I forgot how steady a moment can be. With just a brush of your spirit, my day has taken on the color of hope.

 

(This excerpt was taken from One-Minute Prayers for Women, my favorite devotional thus far!!)

 

I think this devotional stands beautifully on its own...and sums up my feelings superbly!

 

I hope you find this uplifting and encouraging as we enter into a busy work-week, whatever that may entail for you. I pray that it will help you where you are and guide you through the days ahead!

 

Enjoy!

Display the Harvest

 

This is the first year I have ever attempted to grow corn. I diligently watched over my crop, weeded, watered and waited for my corn to ripen. And when it did, it was amazing! We even had enough to freeze and save for the cold winter months. But when the season ended, I was left with these beautiful corn stalks that were beginning to dry in the cold autumn nights and cool days. Unwilling to waste them or simply turn them into mulch or compost, I cut them away from their roots and decided to use them as a welcoming harvest decoration at the front of my house.



As I pulled up the dead stalks of corn, I picked out the most attractive and as many as I could use for decoration, put them aside and cut the stalks away from the roots (I mulched the roots and the rest of the unused stalks). I piled up my desired bunch and separated them into two piles...both with equal amounts of stalks and stalks of differing heights.

I purchased a spool of natural raffia at my local Dollar Tree store and decided it would be the perfect way to tie my bundle of corn stalks together and keep them together with the ever growing winds here in the high desert!  So with two bunches of corn stalks, about evenly divided, with differing heights, I bundled them together and tied them with a simple bow.

I then took each bundle and placed them into the planter boxes on either side of my garage door. I pressed each stalk slightly into the soil in each box so they wouldn't blow over or out of my planter box. I carefully tucked them around each light that is directly above each of the boxes. Voila! My decorations were complete!

As I gazed upon these simple decorations, I realized they brought a very nice sense of fall while still being somewhat 'sophisticated' in nature; they are fun and beautiful. When it gets dark outside and the house lights come on, the light that shows eerily through the corn fronds is the perfect fit for this time of year!

Enjoy!

The Gift of Vulnerability

 He Hears Me

 

This is the confidence we have in approaching God; that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.

~1 John 5:14~

 

Lord, thank You for hearing me. Your ears are open to the musings of my heart, the longings of my soul, and the questions of my mind. There is nobody else in my life who promises to hear every part of me. Even in my most insecure moments, I utter words I know will reach Your heart. I dwell on worries my friends would not take seriously. I have fears that, brought up in daily conversation, would sound unreasonable. Yet, You listen.

 

It is a gift to be vulnerable with the Creator. You are my Master, yet I can come to You with the simplest needs or concerns. As Your child, I seek Your will and Your response. As my Father, You listen.

 

(Excerpt taken from One-Minute Prayers for Women )

 

Society has thrust us towards normalcy and towards fearing vulnerability. While, as a defensive mechanism, a lack of vulnerability may prove useful. However, as we go through life and seek God, vulnerability is just what we need. We need to know that while the decisions are up to us, we have a Savior who longs for us to just surrender and come to Him. We have to let go and give what we have to the hands of Christ. We need to become vulnerable. At that point we can see God's plans for our life!

Enjoy!

Have you had moments like this? What is your approach to life and it's sturggles?




The Great Grape Escapade!

 The first year in our new home - almost three years ago - Cam and I made a list of plants, trees, and fruit we wanted to have in our garden. On the top of our list were grapes! We both LOVE them. I grew up with Concord (which we never eaten because they were too sour and seedy) and some sort of wine grape, and as an adult I love to buy a few extra when they go on sale and freeze them. They are a phenomenal treat in the summer or even in the winter with a warm cup of tea! But I digress. Cam and I knew grapes were definitely a fruit we wanted to invest our time and money into. We went to the nursery and purchased a green wine grape. The following year, still lacking a grape crop, we bought a concord grape. The following year, we harvested our first green green grape crop...they are phenomenal to eat raw, in fact, they were so good, I ended my evening with a belly ache! It was TOTALLY worth it though!!

Since our grape vines take two years to be able to harvest from, this was the year for our Concord. And to our surprise, we had an enormous amount of  them! They are slightly thick-skinned, sour, and seedy, so we weren't sure what to do with them. I thought of juice but Cam thought jam. Jam, being the easier of the two for me, I decided to use these beautiful grapes for grape jelly!

This easy project can be slightly messy and time consuming, but the end result is amazing! Use it at supper for jelly toast (Cam's favorite), tea time on scones (my very favorite), or breakfast toast, pancakes, sauces...the list is endless. While being so simplistic, it can be transformed into so many new things. I hope to explore some of them! Here is my 'grape jelly making' experience:

Having two baskets of grapes on my counter was such a beautiful and magnificent presence. I loved to look at them but hated the prospect of even one of those purple globes going to waste. So I removed them from the stems, rinsed them and placed them in a large sauce pot. Layer-by-layer I placed them in the pot, mashed them with my potato masher, and repeated this process until all my grapes were in the pot and mashed. I added about 1 c. of water to the pot and brought it to a boil.

 I boiled it for about 10 minutes and removed it from the heat. I passed it through a sieve, to remove skins and seeds, into a large bowl. I covered the bowl with foil and placed into the refrigerator to settle.

After 24 hours, I carefully strained it again (making sure to get most of the thick sediment out the juice) and measured it out.



I followed the directions on the pectin I purchased. I had one batch with Sure-Jell pectin and the next two were made with Sure-Jell Certo Liquid Pectin.  (No matter the pectin you choose, make sure to follow the directions provided by each specific brand. They all differ slightly and make a difference when it comes to the jam setting or not.)

After my straining, heating, boiling, combining, stirring, ladling, and letting sit, my grape jelly has finally come to an end. I heated my jars and lids, made the jelly, placed it into hot jars, securely screwed on their lids and rings, and set on a towel to cool and seal. This is how my momma always did it and how I've continued to do it. There are some recipes that call for the actual 'canning' of your jam/jellies; processing them for 10-15 min. But with a usually high sugar content, I've never 'canned' my jams/jellies and have never noticed a difference (but by-all-means follow the directions to be on the safe side!)



 After 33 half-pints I have successfully used ALL of my concord grapes I so fortunately harvested this fall! And tonight was the first night we tried out our seasonal makings! Cam wanted "jelly toast" with his supper so, with grape jelly in the fridge, this is what he created: white bread, toasted to the perfect crispiness, butter, and jelly.



Bread, butter, and home-made grape jelly...what could be better?

It was delectable! Even more so since we knew what was in it and how it was produced! I must say, any form of preserving has proven to be so extremely rewarding to me! It's encouraging to be able to reach down and grab hold or our roots and produce and save what we are so blessed with just as we have had to do for centuries! It's amazing and humbling.


Whatever you chose to do with your extra produce, be creative! Even if you don't really feel like your being too extravagant, whatever is practical and useful, and will be used all year long, is definitely worth your time! Especially if it comes from your garden!

 

Enjoy!!

It's a Beautiful Life

 

 Tap into the Gift

 

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hears to God.

~ Colossians 3:16 ~

 

       

Season of Change

My Painted Blanket

 My favorite season of the year is fall. I love winter, spring, and summer, but when it comes to fall, I'm a sucker for everything relating to this season! I love the smell of the trees with their falling leaves, the cool weather, the dried stalks of vegetation that seem to linger well into the winter months. I know I've said it before about my very pinnacle moment of fall, but I really need to add this to it...there is just a smell and feeling about autumn that captures me!



 My Purple Leafed Sand Cherry bush in my rose garden

Gooseberry after the first frost

This is the time when we allow ourselves a moment to relax and enjoy our garden; enjoy everything it has provided us with and we are now responsible for preserving, bringing in a few mementos of extreme beauty for us to enjoy indoors as well as outside; savoring the flavors of the exquisite fruits and vegetables available to us. I can only stand in awe at what I gaze upon! I'm truly amazed at the never-ceasing beauty my garden puts forth each season!

I tried my best at growing pumpkins, mostly for decoration, but still, a spare pumpkin is always nice to try to carve! Well, here it is...I'm not sure it's actually a pumpkin, hahahaha!



I planted a pumpkin...this looks like a yellow watermelon to me...

Other than pumpkins, I don't really have many strictly 'fall' crops. I have carrots & beets still in the ground; my Swiss Chard, Kale, and Spinach are all doing well. These few things give me hope for the winter. I know I will be blessed with the cold but fresh leafy vegetables of fall/winter, but I can rest assured that the work I put forth this summer won't be wasted!



'Virginia Creeper' berries as Autumn arrives

Enjoy your newly, and ever changing bushes, vines, and perennials! Also take a moment to enjoy each and every moment you spend in your garden. Remember, you put forth a lot of work all year long...you deserve a moment to enjoy it now and see just what your garden has transformed to!

This is also the ideal time to start spring bulbs...if you want tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, croaceses, and any other spring bulb, now is the time to consider getting them into the ground. Come spring, you will be glad you planted them!

Enjoy and learn!!

First Times the Charm!

Leftovers, whatever they may be, always seem to leave me in a quandary...they need to be used but I don't really want to eat the same thing several days in a row. I try to get my 'little grey cells' moving (I hope you all like Poirot ;-) and dive into my cookbooks and magazines for inspiration. Unfortunately, I often cut myself short on ideas and pass them over because they seem to be too difficult and time consuming.

 

This is where I found myself this weekend. Cam drew his deer tag this year, and the day we left for Kentucky, he actually got a beautiful 4-point buck! Friends of ours took on the task of preparing the meat to be packaged (Cam did all the labor except the actual butchering) for which we are EXTREMELY grateful!! This left us with the job of making room in our freezer for such a blessing!

 

I organized, cleared up, cleaned up, and made enough room for all of our venison. I did, however, have to take out a chicken. I baked him up for dinner with mashed potatoes, gravy, salad, and fresh Brussels sprouts and tomatoes; my comfort meal to go with the changing weather. But after one day, the two of us had only put a small dent into this chicken...lots of leftovers. I use it on sandwiches for lunch but for dinner, I wanted something new and exciting! So I perused my refrigerator, freezer, and pantry to see what I could muster up and couldn't talk myself out of making. This is the culinary creation I came up with:

 

Chicken & Butternut Squash Won tons with Pineapple-Sesame Dipping Sauce

 



 (I had purchased won ton wrappers at my local Grocery Outlet for $.50 which were in my fridge along with a small bag of squash puree I made last fall in my freezer, fresh pineapple with its juice in the fridge as well...never underestimate the power of a well stocked pantry and freezer!)

 

Won tons:

• 1 pkg won ton wrappers
• Butternut Squash puree
• Cooked chicken
• mozzarella cheese, if desired

 

Dipping Sauce:

• 1/4c. chicken broth
• 1/4c. soy sauce, reduced sodium
• 1/4c. fresh pineapple juice
• 2 cloves garlic, grated
• 4 tsp. fresh ginger, grated
• 2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
• Dash of cayenne pepper
• Healthy grind of black pepper
• Red pepper flakes, as much as you like

 

 

 Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F.

 

Place won ton wrappers on a cutting board at a diagonal so the point is towards you. Place a small amount of squash puree on each wrapper on one side of the 'diamond', place a small amount of mozzarella on top of the squash (if desired), and top with a small amount of chicken. Fold the other half over the top to close and, with wet fingers, press the edges closed. Place the sealed won tons onto a greased cookie sheet. Give them a light dusting of olive oil or cooking spray and place into preheated oven. Bake for 8-10 min. or until golden brown and warm through.

 

While the won tons bake, place all 'Dipping Sauce' ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil until slightly reduced and the won tons are done.

 

Place won tons onto a platter and the dipping sauce into a dipping bowl.

 

If you want to dress it up, sprinkle the won tons with sesame seeds (toasted or not, up to you) and green onions.

 

Enjoy!!



This being the first time I've ever used won ton wrappers, I must say I was impressed! We are already thinking of new combinations for fillings for these wonderful, delicate squares of dough!

All of these ingredients are readily available in most grocery stores if you don't have them. I would encourage you to make sure your pantry is stocked enough, so much as you can, to accommodate your tastes and likes so you can base your meals on the things you like and have on hand. This not only makes us more creative, but saves us some money...which we can all use these days!!

I hope you enjoy this as much as we did!

Do you have any other ideas on fillings or what we should try next with our chicken? I still have half a bird left!!

Enjoy every day to the fullest...no matter what it brings forth!

Back In the Game

Life has been a whirlwind lately! I was gone a week to go to Kentucky for a work conference with cam. It was educational, interesting, and fun but I was feeling very pressed about the critical harvest/preserving time for my garden & having to be gone during it. As I prayed for our trip, I began to feel a sense of peace...I was finally at ease.

Since we've returned, most of the stuff we put off was still right where we left it!

As I tried to get back into the swing of things I felt overwhelmed and discouraged...how was I going to be able to make it through the ever increasing 'to do' list. Simple:

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
- James 1:2-4 -

This verse has given me the strength to continue on with less complaining & more willingness to work! Hard work is a disappearing trait unfortunately, so let's do our best to try our best in everything God has placed in our lives!

Enjoy!