Green Beans Potatoes and Sausage

This is an old favorite that my friend makes during the

Colder months.  It really hits the spot when you get home

From church on a cold and crisp fall or winter day.

It makes the house smell wonderful and has a great taste.

It is easy to throw into a crockpot, or roaster.

We do it a bit differently from the link, in that we add all ingredients
Before leaving for church, and not adding the sausage later.

Add some fresh bread and butter and this is absolutely delicious.

Make sure you use a good quality sausage for best flavor.

This is a link to the basic recipe that I found while on the web.

Here is the link to the recipe

Smoked Sausage Green Beans and Potatoes

Hope you like this recipe, it is a great recipe to serve a crowd, 

Or just to feed for a few.  

 It really is yummy, and filling.

~ Brat~

Garlic Parmesan Zucchini Bake.... It's what's for dinner

Here is the link to the original recipe

Garlic Parmesan Zucchini Bake

This is what is for dinner tonight...

Of course I can't follow a recipe, so I have to add my own twist

To even every thing I make.

Adding bratwurst, mushrooms, onions to the mix.

Maybe even sprinkle a little Feta Cheese on top
 with the fresh basil.

Can't wait to see how it turns out...

Going to bake it up and deliver some to my daughter at the gym

For dinner while she's working tonight...

It's a great way to use up the last of the garden veggies 

That are still growing in the garden.

 Don't want those vegetables to go to waste..

~ Brat~

Crisp Apple Pecan Salad

Going through my e-mail today and I came across this recipe, and it 

just made my mouth water!!

Grocery shopping last week at my favorite grocery store over in Ohio, had me purchasing quinoa at the request of my darling daughter.

We keep coming across recipes that need quinoa, and we had never thought
 to buy it.  So now that the pantry is stocked with that ingredient, we can make one or more of the recipes that we keep pinning on our 
pinterest boards and move it into the "we made this category".



I am subscribed to Sugar Dish Me, 
 the website where I found this beautiful Salad.

She really has some amazing recipes on her site, and
The pictures of her food really make your mouth water....

Link to this beautiful looking Salad and the recipe for it.

Crisp Apple Pecan Salad

I'm thinking this might be good with a nice juicy pear 

in place of the Apple, Or maybe a nectarine..... 

I just can't seem to follow a recipe the way it is written...

Oh the possibilities....

Quinoa, here we come, with our attempt to use you successfully

In our recipe adventure.

~ Brat~

Thoughts From My Devotions

In reading Hosea 1-4, these things spoke to me

1. God never said the right thing or way would be easy...

2. God gave his son up to death, even while we were no good to him (we were and still are sinners), because he loves us.

3. Acting with force is not acting in the way of the Lord, God is Love and

 force is not love.

4.  I cherish idols, in all areas of my life...... yet God Cherishes me....

5.  I need to "Let" God work in me....

6.  I am an ungrateful bride of Christ.....

Some thought provoking things I'm working on processing...

Hosea is a book that really makes you think about where you stand with God and your relationship with Him...

Italian Themed Surprise Party

My daughter help plan a beautiful surprise birthday party for a friend at her place, with the theme of an Italian Garden party.... they put a lot of time and effort into making this event happen.... and it was a great success!

Happy birthday to beautiful Aliza, and Italian soda bar...

Appetizer course with bread and dipping oil, olives, mozzarella and basil, cheeses, grapes, and 2 feet tall breadsticks freshly baked at our favorite Italian grocery store...

Cozy seating in Stephanie' s back yard...

Happy birthday in Italian of course!

Everything was delicious

And as it got dark, candlelight made everything a little more intimate..

And then it was time for the Dessert course......

Blowing out the candles!!!

These ladies are such a joy to know, and love.

Each and every one is absolutely amazing, and I am so blessed to have them

In my life.  Spending time with them is always filled with laughter

And great conversation.  Never a dull moment when we get together...

Love them lots!!

Where Are You Reading From????

Where are you reading this from????

Leave a post letting us know from what corner of the world you call home...

I know there are readers from many different countries, 

It would be fun to see where my blog reaches...

So leave a simple comment of where you live...

Thanks so much!!

Secret Ingredient Salad

I am making one of my favorite fruit salads a a bridal shower that I get to attend tomorrow....

 This is and old family recipe from my mom's recipe collection..... 


This salad is fruity and refreshing, and doesn't use cool-whip to bind it all together.  It does need to set overnight to work it's magic though.

So the secret ingredient is.......... Sour Cream.

Sour Cream Salad       from the collection of Lettie Lewis

1 container sour cream
2 cans mandarine oranges(or more if you really like them like me)
1 bag mini marshmallows
1 can crushed pineapple
1 can pineapple tidbits

Mix sour cream, marshmallows and crushed pineapple with juice together until well combined.  
Mix in pineapple tidbits.
Mix in mandarins very carefully to not break them up.

Let set overnight in the refrigerator, or at least 6 hours.

The sour cream and pineapple break down the marshmallows to make a delicious base for the salad.



You can hold out a cup of marshmallows to put on top, or put another small can of drained mandarins on top to decorate it if you want.

You can also add 1cup of coconut to it if you wish.


Enjoy!

Strawberry Cheesecake Salad

Here is another salad I'm making because it just sounded yummy....




Strawberry Cheesecake Salad

12 oz. Cool whip
1 -3 1/2oz. Pkg of cheesecake instant pudding
3   6oz containers of strawberry yogurt
1 lbs strawberries sliced up
1 pkg mini marshmallows
1/2 to 1 pkg graham crackers broken in small pieces, not crushed.


Mix all but strawberries and graham crackers together.
Let setup in refrigerator for at least an hour.
Mix in strawberries.
Layer into serving bowl with layers of graham crackers in between.



I couldn't find the cheesecake instant pudding, so I substituted white chocolate instant pudding..... it is really good and it looks pretty layered in my glass bowl from IKEA.

Here is the website that had basically this recipe.
I added the graham crackers to make it taste more like cheesecake.

I can't wait to try her recipe... 

Strawberry Cheesecake Salad

Update:   this was a great success today at the Bridal shower....  
Using the white chocolate instant pudding, and broken pieces of graham
Cracker layered throughout like a trifle.
Yummy.



~ Brat~

Pancakes

Old Pyrex mixing bowls a thing of beauty




Pancakes

1 C. Flour

2 T. baking powder

2 T. Sugar

½ t. Salt

1 egg

1 cup milk

2 T. oil

*optional
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
1/4tsp. Nutmeg
1tsp. Vanilla.

Mix dry ingredients in larger bowl.
Mix wet ingredients together and add to dry ingredients, mix lightly. 
Batter will rise a lot. Let set for a few minutes. 
Stir down, and use.

If batter gets too thick, add some milk to thin it.

I usually double or triple this for us.  

You can add anything to the batter.... My daughters usually add chocolate chips, since they are not too fond of syrups. 


This recipe is provided by a very good friend of mine and we have been making them for about 20 years now.... it is on a recipe card, taped to the inside of my baking cabinet, old and faded with time, yet where it is always accessible...  

These beautiful bowls were on eBay and sold for $175.00

Beautiful set of nesting bowls.  Made someone a happy baker!

My daughter Stephanie is the pancake expert in our family... since she got married, I don't think anyone has made them at our house since.  We go over to her house so she'll make them for us.

Breakfast for dinner happens a lot at our house. Since I am not a huge breakfast person and hate to cook in the morning, I make it an effort to just cook breakfast for dinner several times a month.

Enjoy!

Thoughts on Hosea Day 3

I am reminded today in my study of Hosea

 that we are and were chosen by God...

He wants a relationship with us, and patiently sits there waiting for us to stop the craziness our lives and turn to Him with our thoughts, desires, wishes, hopes, dreams, needs, fears, inadequacies, problems, and prayers.

He knows we will fail Him each and every, and like a loving parent he will sit there and wait for us to learn our lesson...

Waiting for us to turn our hearts and minds towards him in devotion and need of rescue, or encouragement.

I am also reminded that I have to let God work in me.

I need to stop tryin to do it all in my power, but to give control to God to work through me to His glory, and not to satisfy my sinful earthly nature. It is something I have to keep reminding my self of daily...

It doesn't come easy.... 

but most things that are worthy, take hard 

work, and time and effort.

"When I am alone..... Give me Jesus....

 You can have all this world....... give me Jesus"

I hope you take some time today to work on 

your relationship with God..... 

He loves you.....

He misses you....

He's waiting for you....

Have a Blessed Day...

~ Brat~