The gift of tea is the gift of time. It is an invitation to slow down and take a breath. It is expression of love and an opportunity to bestow value and worth. If a tea pot could talk, it would say come sit a while. Share what is on your heart. Tell me about the highs and lows of your week. What are you feeling? Where do you see God at work? The dainty tea cup would say, let's not rush through this time. After all, think of the time that went into creating me and making me beautiful to be enjoyed by you. Take this moment to see the beauty within you and all around you. As we sit down to tea with each other we literally become that tea pot and tea cup. In the busyness of our lives, let's give the gift of time. Let's be present with each other. I, do, enjoy a good pot of tea. I attribute my love of tea to one of my childhood friends, Sheena. She and her mom taught me how to make the perfect pot of tea. Sheena's mom is from Scotland. First, you need to warm the tea pot. Boil some water and pour it into you tea pot. While the pot warms, boil a second kettle of water for your tea. After it boils, pour the warming water out of the pot, and pour in the just boiled water. Add your tea either loose leaf or bags according to the size of your pot. For black tea, you usually steep for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the leaves and serve.
Cranberry Orange Scones
2 cups all-purpose flour 10 tsp sugar, divided 1 tbsp orange zest 1/4 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 1/3 cup chilled butter, sliced 1 cup sweetened dried cranberries 1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp orange juice, divided 1/4 cup half-and-half 1 egg, beaten 1 tbsp milk 1/2 cup powdered sugar Combine flour, 7 tsp sugar, orange zest, baking soda, baking powder and salt; cut in butter until coarse crumbs form. In a small bowl, stir together cranberries, 1/4 cup orange juice, half-and-half and egg. Add to flour mixture and mix until a soft dough forms. Knead 6 to 8 times on a lightly floured surface; pat into a 8-inch circle. Cut into 8 wedges; separate wedges and place on a ungreased baking sheet. Brush with milk; sprinkle with remaining sugar. Bake at 400 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes; cool slightly. Combine powdered sugar and remaining orange juice; drizzle over warm scones. Note: I bake these in my 10-inch cast iron skillet and they turn out beautifully. So yummy!
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I have added new recipes to the meal planning page. Stop by and check out recipes like easy Blackened Fish Fillets, Hawaiian Turkey Melts, Comfy Chicken Pot Pie, and Pizza Pasta Casserole (my go to recipe to take to those in need).
Happy Easter! This is the season of new life. New life is resurrecting all around us in the Midwest. As I ran this morning I found joy in seeing the buds that have appeared on the trees. The daffodils in the front yard are just about to burst open with their bright cheerful faces. But, I am most grateful for the resurrected life of our Savior, Jesus Christ. It is through the sacrifice of His death and resurrection that our relationship is restored with our Heavenly Father, God of the Universe. Our house is one of the first stops on the Easter Bunny's travels. In fact, he comes a day early :) Most Sundays, Eric leaves the house even before the girls and I are up. Easter is no exception so Hannah and Abby have received their Easter baskets on Saturday. As I was out this week I realized that bubbles and sidewalk chalk don't quite seem appropriate anymore. How I miss those days :) I (aka Easter Bunny) need to be a little more creative with gifts for their baskets that work within our budget. I see it as an adventure in shopping. Since the girls receive their Easter Baskets on Saturday our focus can turn to celebrating the joy of the resurrection on Sunday through worship with our church family that continues into the afternoon with a meal shared with friends. He is risen! I have updated the recipe page. This update includes quite a few recipes from a line of my favorite cookbooks, Gooseberry Patch. A lot of the cookbooks remind me of church cookbooks with tried and true recipes. I enjoy reading the personal stories and tips on each recipe page. For example, here is the story that is included with the recipe for Ralph Ratliff's Chicken. "Growing up, one of my favorite things was the potluck lunches at our church. I loved the delicious smells, the excitement of the adults getting food prepared and the children playing. I always put way more food on my plate than I could eat, but how could I resist such tempting dishes? My favorite was a chicken casserole made by a church member named Ralph Ratliff. Eventually Mom asked him for the recipe and many years later, it's still a favorite....comfort food based on memories of a sweet time." Kellie Trail-Wells, Homestyle in Hurry The recipe page also includes our favorite all time recipe for macaroni and cheese, yummy comfort food at its best. I discovered this recipe in a library book. There is also a recipe for Matzo Ball soup. It is a little more time intensive, but I found this past week it was well worth the effort. Hannah was sick a few days. As I was making the soup I thought of all the rich nutrients that her body would use to bring healing. May you and your family have a wonderful weekend! |
AuthorI am a woman who loves everything about making a house a home. I enjoy meal planning, cooking, baking, sewing, crafting, and decorating. Not so much cleaning and laundry, but that goes along with caring for a home. I am blessed to be married to a pastor and we have had the privilege of raising two daughters. Archives
July 2021
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