Tag Archives: meal ministry

The Twilight of Childhood

4 Jun Twilight of Childhood

She wakes with an infectious smile that seems to chase away any lingering gloominess from my soul.  She rests her head with ease  in that little crook of my shoulder that always seems to fit no matter how she grows.  She reminds me what goodness, and loveliness, and kindness feels like and she freely shares it with anyone fortunate enough to cross her path.  She dreams of filling shelves at the book store with her writings and filling the stage with songs about her greatest love….Jesus.

Even though the twilight of her childhood is setting in she still clings to girlhood fiercely. She isn’t quite ready to let it go and I’m not quite ready to let her go. So for a moment I will relish in my little girl and all her little girl ways and I will keep loving her well. For these last few moments, I will be near, holding her hand as she dips her toes into adolescence, so when the sun sets for the last time on her childhood she will be ready to let go of me and pursue her own life with confidence. grace, tenderness, and passion. I pray that these gifts will be accepted well and would bring healing to a wounded world and hope to wounded souls.

But for now, I will enjoy her sleepy head on my shoulder with messy curls tickling my cheek. In a moment it will be over. Tonight she will say goodbye to ten and welcome eleven with great expectation…..just as she should.

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

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Copyright © 2015 · All Rights Reserved · www.andasprinkleoflove.com

Take a Moment to Remember

25 May

I live with a constant reminder of how blessed I am to of been born and raised in a free country. It is an awesome responsibility to live in such a way that it is never in vain. I am so grateful for the brave men and women who headed the call and left what was familiar and comfortable for a life of upheaval and uncertainty. Today I pause with reflective prayer to honor those who gave their all…the fallen brave who courageously breathed their last breath defending the country and the people they so loved.

To the families who gather around a grave rather than a grill-my prayer is that our Heavenly Father will fill them with grace, peace, and healing. That they would find comfort in each other and that the sweet memories of their loved ones will sustain them until they are reunited in Heaven. Thank you, for your great sacrifice also!

Regardless of your feelings of the military, president, or war we are one family bonded by the American Flag and we should support our soldiers and let them know we appreciate them. A simple “Thank you for your service”, will really show that you stand united with them. Continue to pray for them, for their safety, for our safety, and for their families.

Pray for our wounded country. Pray that the Lord Jesus Christ will help us to turn our faces to Him once again and that He will Bless and unite us.

Thank you to our fallen, to our veterans, and to those serving……..it’s not in vain!

I will leave you with a quote I found.

“Only 2 defining forces have ever offered to die for you….Jesus Christ and the American Soldier. One died for your soul, the other for your freedom.”

~Author Unknown~

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

Copyright © 2014 · All Rights Reserved · www.andasprinkleoflove.com

Photo credit, Google Images

I am my Beloved and My Beloved is Mine

23 May

12 years ago on a beautiful Colorado day I married my very best friend and the love of my life! I thought I couldn’t be any happier than I was at that moment but each year proves to be better than the last. We have been on such an adventure from births, deaths, illnesses, college, graduations, teenagers, moves, job changes, aging parents, and everything in between. With the constant changes of life, the one thing that has remained, is that we have clung to each other through all of it.  We have grown from a couple of crazy love-struck kids to a couple who are weathering the storms and enjoying every rainbow together. We have learned to appreciate that each day together is a gift.

There is no one I would rather spend time with or journey this life with. I am so blessed to married to a man of honor and integrity! A man who puts his family first and works hard to give us a good life. He is a man that I adore, respect and love! Without the grace of God none of this would of been possible!  I thank God for sustaining us and for constantly working on my heart as a wife. Happy Anniversary, Sunshine! Thank you for choosing me!

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To All the Mama’s……

10 May
To all the mama’s who do this alone, to all the mama’s who chose life, to all those mama’s who chose to give that life to another woman, to all those women who wake to feel the sting of empty arms, to al those mama’s who never felt life grow in their bodies but love the children who grew in their hearts just the same, to all those mama’s who stepped in to raise another woman’s child because they were no longer able to, to all those mama’s who have angel babies, to all the mama’s who are caring for children with special needs, to all the ladies who don’t have the official title of mom but love just the same, and to all the people who think of their mama’s in heaven today………He sees you, sees every tear, and holds you in the palm of His hand. Today I honor you and pray that the love of God will bring you strength, comfort, and joy!
Happy Mother’s Day!
~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~
Rebecca
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Copyright © 2014 · All Rights Reserved · www.andasprinkleoflove.com

Sweet and Sour Chicken

11 Jul

I love when my sweet girls want to prepare dinner. I love not just the practical skills they are learning in the kitchen but also that they are building a sweet friendship. If you are looking for a yummy and easy dish…keep on reading for the printable recipe.

Get a baggie and add the corn starch and chicken.

Get your ‘shakin’ face on! Imperative for the best results.

Whisk up a couple of eggs.

Add your chicken to the egg mixture.

                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                     

Brown the chicken

 

I might be mixing up some extra sauce to pour over my rice 🙂

                                                                                                                               

My lovely assistant pouring the sauce over the chicken.

                                                                                                                                      

Throw some bell pepper in there…it’s the right thing to do!

                                                                                                                               

Voila! The sauce cooked onto the chicken beautifully. Here is my plate-steamed white rice (with a little extra sauce) topped with the glorious sticky chicken. Happiness on a plate!

                                                                                                                                 

Thumbs way up from my lovely assistants!

                                                                                                                                       

My sweet boys happily went back for seconds.

 
Delicious and simple!  We love it over hot steamed white rice.  We made extra sauce for the saucy lovers (ahem…mama).  Give it a try…I triple dog dare ya’…..and let me know what you think!  Thanks for visiting.
~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~
Rebecca
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Copyright © 2014 · All Rights Reserved · www.andasprinkleoflove.com

These Muffins are Bananas

31 May

*Updated*

Let me tell you, I fail miserably at banana bread.  Burnt on the bottom, raw in the middle, deflated..I am not kidding! If there was a way to ruin it, I would. I have been on a mission to find the right combination of ingredients to yield a moist flavorful banana bread that cooks evenly throughout.  After a lot of trial and error…. I got to mixing and……..Houston, we got ourselves a winner;) I am really excited to share this simple yet delicious recipe for chocolate chip banana muffins. Scroll down for printable recipe. Let’s get baking!

 

 

Printable Recipe

 

We would love to know what you’ve cookin’!  Leave us a message or link in the coments and let us know.  Thanks for visiting!

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

Let’s be Pinterest friends!

Copyright © 2014 · All Rights Reserved · www.andasprinkleoflove.com

Helping Those who are Grieving

16 Dec

The Christmas season, for most, evokes a feeling of nostalgia, warmth, and joy but for others it can be a time of great sadness.  Whether an extended illness, a family break up, or the death of a loved one, the holidays can be tough to get through.  Friends and family are quick to gather together to show love and support in the midst of the trial, but with time, we all resume our regular lives and fall back into our normal routines.

Let’s be honest, it is extremely awkward to bring up someone’s grief.  The truth is, is that the grief is there it just isn’t as visible as it once was and that is what makes it so uncomfortable to acknowledge.  Here are a few ways to help our friends and family through the hard times.  You just might find yourself being blessed in the process!

Find practical ways to be there for them such as bringing a meal or house cleaning.  Even in grief people sometimes have a hard time asking for help.  Ask, “What day next week is best for me to drop off a meal?” that allows you to help without having to be asked.  A hot meal, a clean home, and a good night’s rest is great medicine for the soul.

Send a card or note in the mail letting them know that you are thinking of them especially  during the holidays, anniversaries, or any other personal milestone.  It will make them feel good knowing someone remembers and that those days are still special and important.

Most importantly pray for them and let them know that you did.  We were never meant to carry our burdens alone-Galatians 6:2 tells us to, “Carry each another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

How do you bless those who are grieving? I would love to hear from you.

I pray this Christmas season has you in awe of the baby in the humble manger who came to give everlasting life.

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

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“Image courtesy of [Theeradech Sanin] / FreeDigitalPhotos.net”.

 

 

Copyright © 2013 · All Rights Reserved · www.andasprinkleoflove.com

Mama is Cookin’ Fancy Tonight!

1 Oct

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I get into a cooking rut! I just throw together the same 5-6 meals  over and over again. My family is very slow to complain about what they are eating, but you can just tell that there is no real excitement about the same meal they just ate 4 days ago. I have found that with a little extra effort you can put together a simple meal that will make your family or guests feel extra special!

 To start, you are going to need 1 green pepper, 1 large onion, 1 package
button mushrooms and 2 cloves of garlic.
I have about a 1 1/2- 2 pounds boneless pork chops that are about
1 1/2 inches thick, salt, pepper, garlic powder and turmeric.
Wash the green pepper and mushrooms. Thinly slice the green
pepper, onion and mushrooms and finely chop the garlic. In a
frying pan add 1 Tablespoon of olive oil and heat over med-high
heat. When pan is hot add the green pepper, and onion.
sautee’ for 4 minutes and then add the mushrooms.
Sautee’ for an addition 2-3 minutes or until the veggies are just tender. Add garlic.
Remove veggies from pan and set aside. Add 2 Tablespoons of olive oil
to the same frying pan and heat on med-high heat.
I sliced my pork chops in half because they were a little to
thick for me and it greatly reduces the cooking time.
Sprinkle both sides to your liking with salt, pepper, garlic
powder and turmeric. Place in pan and let sear for 3-4 minutes
and flip pork chops and turn your pan down to med or if browning too
much down to med-low.
I like to serve my pork chops with real mashed potatoes. I peeled
and washed about 8-9 medium sized potatoes. Cut them in small
pieces so they will boil in no time. Place cut potatoes in a large pot
and cover potatoes with water up to one inch over potatoes. Cover
pot and heat on high heat until potatoes start to boil. Turn heat down
to med-high and remove lid enough to let the steam escape. Continue
to boil 10-12 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender (fork
easily pierces potato without force or effort).  Drain into a colander
and immediately add your drained potatoes back into hot pot.
This helps to dry up the excess water on the potatoes.
You want your pork chops to have this nice carmely color.
To the potatoes add 4-5 Tablespoons of butter, 1/2 Cup warm
milk, 1/2 Cup sour cream, salt and pepper to taste.
Start mashing:) Yes, making homemade mashed potatoes is
a little more work than instant, but oh so worth it!
Keep mashing until the potatoes are mostly smooth and
really creamy. Add more butter, milk or sour cream to
get the desired consistency of your potatoes. I actually
ended up adding an extra Tablespoon of butter and a few
more splashes of milk. I like to put the lid on the potatoes
put it back on the stove to keep it warm until you’re
ready to serve.
Get several slices of thinly cut provolone cheese ready.
Enough for each pork chop.
When pork chops are cooked through, about 12-15 minutes
you are going to want to turn your pan down to low. Place a
heaping serving of your sauteed vegetables on top of each
pork chop.
Top each pork chop with a slice of provolone cheese. Cover
and let the cheese melt and get all deliciously gooey.
Serve right away with your delicious creamy sour cream
mashed potatoes. From ordinary to ‘fancy’ in no time!
Ingredients
1 green bell pepper
1 large onion
1 package fresh button mushrooms
2 cloves of garlic
1 1/2 -2 pounds boneless pork chops
thinly slice provolone cheese; enough for each pork chop
8-9 medium baking potatoes
olive oil
1/2 Cup of milk
1/2 Cup sour cream
4-5 Tablespoons of butter
salt
pepper
garlic powder
turmeric

I hope you and your family and friends enjoy this simple yet delicious dish! We have also enjoyed this dish with tri- colored bell peppers and when I am serving just the adults, I will sometimes substitute a little pepper jack cheese. Have fun with it and make it your own. This recipe was made to accommodate our family of 5 with enough left over for daddy to bring to work the next day.   What is one of your family favorite meals?  I would love to know!  Please leave a comment or a link to your favorite recipe. Thank you for taking the time to visit!

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~
Rebecca
Let’s connect on Pinterest!

Copyright © 2013 · All Rights Reserved · www.andasprinkleoflove.com

Bring Back That Summer Feeling ~BBQ pulled chicken~

24 Sep

Now that Fall is in full swing here in the North I am already missing the lazy days of summer and the wonderful tastes that go with it. This is one of our favorite summer recipes adapted to cook in your crock pot. Enjoy a little taste of summer year round with this easy and flavorful recipe!

In a large slowcooker add 4-5 boneless skinless chicken breasts. Add 1 1/2
green bell peppers on top of chicken.
Add one large sliced onion.  Cover with lid and cook on low about 7-8 hours.
Remove lid and drain any excess liquid on the bottom of the slow cooker. With
2 forks shred chicken (chicken should be tender enough to do this right inside the
slow cooker).
Add 1 1/2- 2 Cups of your favorite BBQ sauce and stir to mix.
Cover and cook an additional 30 minutes to an hour.
Serve with your favorite sides.
Ingredients
4-5 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 1/2 green bell peppers
1 large onion
1 bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce

*serves my family of 5 for 2 meals*

Add your chicken breasts to your slow cooker and top with sliced bell pepper and onion.  Cook on low 7-8 hours and drain excess liquid.  With 2 forks shred chicken and add 1 1/2-2 Cups of your favorite BBQ sauce.  Cover and cook an additional 30 minutes to an hour.  Serve with your favorite sides.
*As a variation I also serve these on hamburger buns. To make it even more delicious add a slice of provolone cheese to the chicken and melt
 under your broiler until melted goodness is acheived.*

As always, thanks for stopping by!
~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~
Rebecca
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Copyright © 2013 · All Rights Reserved · www.andasprinkleoflove.com

Taco Soup

18 Sep

The lazy days of summer are just about over. Soon enough the weather will change, the trees will showcase their brilliant colors, and the days will become a little more hectic.  One of my favorite ways to warm-up and to solve the mad dinner rush is to dig out my slow-cooker and make soup.  One of our family favorites is Taco Soup.  Easy, economical, and so yummy! Throw this on in the morning and dinner is done!  I want to hear from you! Do you have a favorite family recipe or maybe an easy and quick go to meal?  I would love to see it. Leave a recipe or a link in the comments below I would l love to see what you’ve got cookin!

What you will need to get started (scroll down for full recipe).
Fry up your ground beef, onion, and garlic until cooked through.
Here, Broukie demonstrates proper ground beef crumbling.
Alison finishes up.
Add the cooked ground beef to your slow-cooker.
The next step is easy-add everything else and give it a good stir.
I needed someone with a little muscle for this step;)
Voila! Turn it on low, cover, and go about your day.
Don’t want to crock pot it? You can add all the ingredients to a
stock pot and simmer for 15-20 minutes and serve.
This is how it looks, mama style. Sharp cheddar cheese,
sour cream, green onion, and Frito’s. What will you add to yours?
If you’re so inclined, enjoy it with a nice glass of chocolate milk!

Taco Soup
-1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
-1 large onion, diced
-1 clove of garlic, finely minced
-1 12oz bottle of green taco sauce
-1 can beef or chicken broth (14-16 oz)
-2 (15oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed (optional-if you don’t mind the off color)
-15 1/4 oz can of corn, drained
-4 1/2oz can of chopped green chilies
-15oz can of tomato sauce
-1oz packet of taco seasoning
-3-4 Cups of water
-your favorite garnishes

 In a large skillet over medium heat cook the ground beef, diced onion, and minced garlic until the ground beef is no longer pink.  Add the beef mixture to your slow-cooker and add the rest of the ingredients, stir. Cover and cook on low until ready to serve.  Simmer 15-20 minutes for stove top method.
   Add a salad some corn bread muffins for an even heartier meal.  This recipe feeds my family of 5 with leftovers for lunch the next day. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.  Thanks for visiting!
~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~
Rebecca
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Copyright © 2013 · All Rights Reserved · www.andasprinkleoflove.com