BLACKBERRY CRISP

The third Sunday of Lent approached quite quickly and I did not have a decision yet as to what I would bake for my "cheat day" recipe. So, as David and I were wondering the isles of Sam's Club (do NOT judge us, there is no Costco in The Falls), keeping our eyes peeled for a great idea to pop up...I spied Blackberries.

I decided that I would do some form of blackberry pie, cobbler or crisp. I truly had nothing in mind except that I knew a baking creation consisting of butter and berries could not be beat. So, upon arriving home I promptly poured over my cook books, online blog references and Epicurus...finally settling on this recipe for a peach and blackberry crisp (minus the peach).

It turned out to be a new favorite recipe to add to my collection. I also learned a valuable lesson...usually I will make a crisp or cobbler in a dish that is shallow allowing for each serving to have more crust than berries, but this time I used this deeper style baking dish and it was wonderful to have so many juicy berries with each bite of crust.


One final word to the wise: do not go cheap on your ice cream! We used Häagen-Dazs Vanilla Bean and it was pure heaven--as every cheat day dessert should be!

Peach and Blackberry Crisp
1-1/2 pounds peaches (about 3), pitted and cut into 1/2-inch thick wedges
2 cups blackberries, picked over and rinsed
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
3/4 cup coarsely chopped lightly toasted pecans
peach and brown sugar ice cream or vanilla cream as an accompaniment

In a large bowl toss the peaches and the blackberries gently with the cornstarch, the lemon juice, and the granulated sugar until the mixture is combined well. In a small bowl stir together the flour, the brown sugar, the oats, the salt, the cinnamon, and the nutmeg, add the butter, blending the mixture until it resembles coarse meal, and stir in the pecans. Spread the peach mixture in a 13- by 9-inch (3 quart) baking dish, sprinkle the pecan mixture evenly over it, and bake the crisp in the middle of a preheated 350°F. oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the top is golden. Serve the crisp with the ice cream.

LENT

"Return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, and weeping and mourning" (Joel 2:12)



Lent is such a wonderful time. I love being reminded of the journey Christ took prior to his death and resurrection and I love being reminded of the fact that as Christians we can use these 40 days to sacrifice, to pray, and to humble ourselves for the gift we will receive at Easter.

Now normally, not so different from many people out there, I don't love giving up my favorite indulgences...so I usually don't.

But during Lent, I enjoy having a reason to give up my favorite things. I appreciate that each time I reach for that special item...or I start to do a certain activity...I get to remind myself that Christ gave the ultimate sacrifice and I can surely sacrifice this small thing for 40 days...surely I can!

This year I gave up two things. One of them, an activity that I love and one of them, an object that I love.

I first decided to give up sweets, desserts, candy, sugar, ice cream...all things made of sugar and that make my heart feel aflutter.

I have never taken on this task before during the Lenten season, because I just never thought that I could do it. It is just a fact that I love candy. and ice cream. and desserts. I love them. Like...if it was between choosing McCovey or ice cream...I might just choose the latter option :) I won't even set up the scenario of choosing between David and Skittles...because well...you don't want to know that answer either!

I also made the decision to give up an activity that has begun to use up a great deal of my time, energy and money...baking.

In an effort to improve (my hideous) baking skills this past year, I have taken to daily: searching out new recipes...buying new ingredients...and then tasting my creations (as well as handing them out to ANYONE in our lives who will take them off of our hands).

Well, since gluttony is one of the seven deadly sins, I decided that I would stop baking during Lent and the money that was spent on my supplies would go towards our church service project, Operation Rice Bowl, providing money to feed poor children around the world.

This Lent has been one of my best yet. The constant reminders to myself of Christ's sacrifice have been fantastic and I am thankful that I chose to take this period of prayer and sacrifice seriously.

However, there is one point in our house that is up for debate...Sundays.

According to the church calender, Sundays during Lent are not actually calculated in the 40 days. In the most basic of terms this is because each Sunday is considered a "mini" celebration of Easter and the Resurrection. So, for many families this means that you do not have to abstain from your chosen Lenten sacrifice...and in our home...it is a split decision.

For Lent David has given up Diet Coke, and other soda, but his primary "drug of choice" is Diet Coke. He has also chosen, not to cheat on Sundays...because he is amazingly dedicated like that.

I, on the other hand have chosen to partially cheat. I have decided that each Sunday I will select one item to bake and share with those in our lives...we wouldn't want to cut off our neighbors cold turkey from their baked goods, now would we?!?!

The first Sunday of Lent, I made Cinnamon Rolls from the BEST recipe! You must try making these, you won't regret it!

The second Sunday of Lent, I made these Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes...they were simply divine! The cake was a bit chewy and I think it is because I still don't have the skill of "gently folding" down pat...but with practice (after Lent) I will continue to get better.

I have yet to decide what will be made on the Sundays to come, but I will be posting those recipes as well, as this wonderful Lenten journey continues.

SMALL TOWN LIFE

It is funny that when living in a small town, there are things that you learn to accept as fact or "the acceptable norm" and many of these things are odd, hilarious, and down-right memorable.



When David and I started coaching basketball, we were surprised that having a one hour commitment three days a week--added a significant "event" to our lives. Now, for a little background knowledge, David and I have always been insanely busy people. School, work, sports, friends, family, church, young life--you name it and we were involved in it...then we moved to Texas.



We moved away from the normal busy schedules of our previous life and we settled into a town that is slow by nature. Everything from the way people talk to the check out lines at the grocery store...are slow.



We had to rewire ourselves and relearn to focus our energy. Instead of going out to the new hot spot for dinner, we have made our table a hot spot with new recipes. Rather than taking in a new movie at the state of the art upscale theatre, we have had to find entertainment in 17 year olds rushing around on ice skates trying to fight one another. Long ago are the days of taking a hike through the Willamette National Forest...we now have taken to playing golf on a course with spray painted greens and brown fairways....



If I would have written this post a year ago, I would have said that these changes in our life were difficult and depressing but today I can write to you, with confidence, that we have been blessed to experience this slow paced and small town life. We have made new friends and seen old friends move on, we have taken on new skills and hobbies, all the while we have laughed together at the oddity each day brings.



A lot of growth has taken place since beginning this new adventure; our marriage, our souls, and our lives are better because of the small town existence we have been living.



Small town life has taught us some BIG TIME lessons and I am ever so thankful that the slow drawl of Texas and the inching pace of Wichita Falls have become pieces in the foundation that our family rests upon.

SOULFUL SOUPS

Let me just put it out there for everyone..I am a soup LOVER! For me, a bowl of soup is like a cozy blanket for my soul. It is a constant companion, a cheerful smile on a dreary day, a reminder of all that is good in the world today!

Even though David is not a huge soup guy, I like to make soups with the intention that I will freeze them to eat for dinner another night...instead the pattern has become that I just keep the soup in the refrigerator and eat it for every meal for the proceeding days until it is gone...hey, when you have a good soup going you just have to go with it!

I thought that since winter is coming to an end in Texoma, (it is supposed to be 70* on Wednesday) and many of you reading this blog may live in a place that stays cool through well...May...I would share this season's favorite soup recipes in hopes that you will be as warmed and comforted by them as I have!

These are my favorite soups that I have made this winter. I have loved and devoured each of them because they are just that good! You don't even want to know how many millions of hours I have spent on the Internet and in my cook books pouring through soup recipes in order to get the basic idea for the next soup I am going to try...so I have definitely already done the hard part for you. Also, none of these need to be followed perfectly. Under each recipe, I have added what things I changed due to convenience or what I had in my cupboards.

Try these recipes. Have fun with them. Enjoy eating them. Feed your soul with soup...you will be so glad that you did!

Guinness Beef Stew
*I used red onions and added extra of the liquids to give it more moisture. I did not use any parsnips and used extra potatoes.

Clam Chowder
*I used one can of whole baby clams and one cup of the juice they came instead of the stock from boiling fresh clams. I used red potatoes instead of Yukon. I used ground thyme instead of a fresh bundle and half and half (instead of heavy cream) and nonfat milk(instead of whole milk) for the two types of dairy products.

Beef and Barley Stew
*I used extra celery stalks, I did not use parsnips but I did use 2 peeled baking potatoes. I did not use Hungarian paprika, just normal paprika and I added a beef bullion cube for extra flavor.

Chicken Noodle Soup
*I added frozen pearl onions and since I made this in the crock pot, I let everything simmer all afternoon and just before we were ready to eat I boiled the noodles for about three minutes and put them into the crock pot for about fifteen minutes, this way the noodles didn't get soggy and still had a bit of time to absorb the flavor of the broth and veggies!


Source

V-DAY

i carry your heart with me (i carry it in
my heart) i am never without it (anywhere i go you go,my dear;and whatever is done by only me is your doing,my darling)

i fear
no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true) and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows (here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows
higher than soul can hope or mind can hide) and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)
--E.E. Cummings

CHRISTMAS 2011

Eek...Christmas came and went without a blog post of it's own--is that even allowed? Here is a little peak at how we were able to celebrate Christ's birth.

What a fabulous Advent season we had. It was a time full of growth and preparation, waiting in anticipation for the coming of our Savior.

David did a great job with the outside lights again this year. The house looked so beautiful!

Many evenings during our nine days off together were spent being cozy in our living room, enjoying the fire, sipping red wine.

Midwestern State University has a lights display each year, so of course we participated in the annual tradition again and thought it was as fabulously-ghetto as last year!

Mac and his beloved Santa Dog.

Christmas Eve

Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church after celebrating a beautiful Midnight Mass together.

Stockings on Christmas morning

Christmas morning was perfect. We got up late, enjoyed mimosas and homemade cinnamon rolls. Took Mac for a walk and opened gifts. It was a relaxing and memorable day for both of us.

Thanks Darin, Laura, Dillon and Luke for the fantastic gift cards and even more the fantastic entertainment we got from the box!

Christmas Dinner with the Black Family

Table Football for the boys

And a rousing game of Jenga for the girls

We loved spending Christmas evening with the Black family. Their kids are so wonderful and it was a perfect night of laughter, games, and delicious food made by Kristi!

The week after Christmas, we had a doctor's visit in Dallas. We were able to spend the rest of the day taking advantage of the big city. It was a wonderful day full of shopping, fantastic drinks and great food!

We ended 2011 with a fairly mellow New Year's Eve. We had great company and good laughs finishing off the evening with this festive chocolate peppermint cake...here's hoping that 2012 is as delectable as our dessert!

UNPLUGGED

Well, officially it has been a ridiculous amount of time since I posted about our daily life. I am a bit embarrassed, perplexed, and disappointed in how much time has passed since I have recorded our crazy antics. I suppose I could say that time sure does fly when you are having fun in Texoma...

...We have been having a blast with our favorite Golden Retriever!

...The warm but very windy Texas winter has allowed for some great golf to take place on the weekends.

...I am always pleased when a cultural event happens here in The Falls, and recently I was moved to tears by the beautiful concert put on by the African Children's Choir. I was thankful for the inspirational, moving and beautiful stories and voices that I heard--so good for the soul!

...Isaac was driving from Washington to Georgia, and was able to stop and spend the night with us! It was such a wonderful evening and a true blessing to catch up with an dear friend.

...David and I are coaching a little basketball team of 5 & 6 year olds. It has been fantastic! We love having a committment to go to, other than work. We love the laughter involved with helping the kids play defense or score points on offense. These little kiddos bring us great joy three days a week and we are thankful for the opportunity to coach them.

...McCovey has been enjoying our walks even more than usual. Diving head first to roll in the clover during our afternoon trips to the park, is all it takes to bring this sweet little dog a bit of bliss.


The past few months have had their share of ups and downs, but we are happy to say that 2012 is off to a great start and we are embracing every opportunity Wichita Falls presents to us--no matter how large or small it may appear!