MarytheKaytheBlog

Sometimes, you just need to make turkey sandwiches

Several years ago, a friend of ours called during Thanksgiving weekend and said he needed our help.  He had already started driving the several hundred miles towards our home, and was really hoping he could stay with us for a while.

We told him, "Of course" and said he could stay as long as he needed.  

We got the guest room ready, and waited--not really knowing how we'd find our friend once he arrived.

His arrival seemed pretty normal.  He pulled up in his Texas-sized truck, wearing his usual jeans and cowboy boots.  We hugged and exchanged the typical "how was your trip?" small talk.  We made our way to the kitchen table, where I'm sure I offered him something to eat and drink.

There, at our kitchen table, our friend explained in a quiet voice how messed up he'd gotten.  He told us that he'd checked himself out of rehab, and started driving towards Branson for help.  

Now, I should tell you a couple of things here.  First of all, I am keeping much of this story vague--because it is not my story to tell.  The only reason I even mentioned his checking himself out of rehab is so I can BRAG on how AMAZINGLY BRAVE he is!  I'm not sure I've ever been PROUDER of someone than I am of this friend, who has been sober for several years now.  (I wish you could see the big goober smile on my face as I write these words!  See?  I'm proud.)

Second, I should tell you that our friend headed to Branson for not only our help--he had a couple of friends here that he was reaching out to.  We certainly cannot take the credit for helping him.  Which, is really funny that I'm even saying that--because GOD gets all the credit anyway.  This story is all about God's kindness and redemption.

Now, I've given you a whole lot of background information to tell you this:  The whole time our friend was staying with us, and getting his life back together, I felt this burden, this burning desire to be able to ENCOURAGE our friend...to TELL HIM just the right things that would make everything better...to COUNSEL HIM in just the way he needed to get healing.

But, guess what?

No matter HOW MUCH I prayed for God to give me the words to say to him...

No matter how many great things I thought of to tell him...

No matter how strongly I felt about certain things I wanted to ask him...

God kept telling me one thing:  Be quiet.  

Over and over again I felt God was telling me not to give one word of counsel, and even not to ask any leading questions.  I sensed God was telling me that this was Dave's time to counsel, and Dave's turn to talk and share in this particular situation.

Oh sure, I chatted with our friend a lot.  We talked every single day, and some days I even got to listen as he chose to share about his struggles.  We talked about books and movies and history and the South.  

I loved our daily chats.  But, so many times I felt helpless towards our struggling friend.  Here he was--living in our guest bedroom--and yet, I couldn't say anything or do anything to help him.

Ah.  But, one day, God helped me see how I COULD help our friend...how I already WAS helping our friend:  I could make him turkey sandwiches.

I'd already been feeding our friend daily, but just never thought of that as a way of helping.  But, God showed me that by FEEDING our friend, I was helping to FEED his SOUL.

From that day on, I saw my meal preparations as the way that I was helping our friend recover.  I was feeding his body, and his soul.

From that day on, I took great delight in piling on the turkey extra-high, as if our friend could feel my encouragement and love in those bites of turkey sandwiches.  I stopped feeling helpless in staying quiet, and started finding great joy in my daily meal (and turkey sandwich!) preparations.

How about you?  Do any of you find yourselves in a situation where you feel inadequate to help a friend or family member?  If so, I encourage you to look for ways different than just telling or counseling.

Sometimes, now matter what words you want to share--eloquent and sensible as they may be--sometimes, words fall upon deaf ears.

Sometimes, a friend isn't ready to hear.

Or, sometimes, someone else needs to do the talking and sharing.

Sometimes, the very best thing you can do--is make a nice, thick turkey sandwich.

I sure hope the next time you are preparing a meal--for your family, or for a friend--that you remember:  You're not just feeding a body; you may also be feeding a soul.

So, please be sure to pile on that turkey--extra high!

Linky Dinks: Edition Comfort

I don't know about you--but over here in Missouri, it's COLD.  And cold weekends make me want to stay indoors by the fireplace, and wrap up in a warm blanket and read a good book while sipping hot cocoa.  

How about you?  What says "comfort" to you on a cold winter's weekend day?

Here are some fun comforting ideas I've found while surfing around the internet lately...

 

If you haven't already made the world's easiest--and yummiest--"homemade" cinnamon rolls, please go make them this weekend!!!  Seriously, they are AMAZING.  And SO EASY!

 

Mmm.  A warm mug of hot chocolate under a cozy blanket says comfort to me!  How about making these darling hot chocolate on a stick for Valentine's Day?  Or, if you're not in the mood to make them yourself, looks like you can buy them on Etsy!  Wouldn't this be a FUN GIFT IDEA for teachers on Valentine's Day?

 

Okay, now that you have a mug of hot chocolate, how about some quick and easy homemade (kind of) DONUTS???  Oh, yes, please!  I've never made these--but I've always heard you could make donuts from canned biscuit dough.  Have any of you tried these?

 

Nothing says comfort like a cozy carpeted bathroom...a blue carpeted bathroom...and carpeted toilet seat cover...and carpeted tank cover...and carpeted scale cover...and, well, you get the idea.  You HAVE to go back and visit 1971, you just have to!  (Make SURE you scroll down far enough to see the cheerful clown lamps.  I wonder how many people are still in therapy because of those frightening lamps...?)  Oh, sorry--I seem to be veering off the "comfort" path...

 

Ah.  This video has got to be the most comforting thing ever.  The only thing more comforting would be if I were IN the video--EATING that warm bread.  Does it inspire you to go put on an apron, and bake some bread?  

 

 

Okay, I'm not sure exactly how much comfort this little game will give you...but it sure is FUN.  And fun is comforting, right?

 

Wow.  I guess FOOD is what says "comfort" to me--because I am noticing that nearly every single link today is about FOOD.  Hmm...me thinks it's time to hit the ole treadmill.

Happy weekend, dearest readers!  I hope your weekend is filled with warm and cozy and lots of happy comfort!

The Easiest AND Best Cinnamon Rolls You've Ever Eaten!

Y'all.

I am gonna change your lives today.

You think I'm kidding, don't you?

I found the BEST and EASIEST to make cinnamon rolls of my LIFE last week.  This is the kind of recipe, that when you find it, you tell EVERYONE you come in contact with!  Yeah--how many of YOU did I tell about this recipe?  I can easily think of 7 of you right now that I've told about it.  And for those of you I haven't told...well, I am truly sorry.  But, that's about to change right this minute!

Seriously--put these 3 items on your shopping list Right. Now.

Go on, get yer pencil and paper out.

I'm not kidding.  Write these things down:

1.  Rhodes frozen cinnamon rolls (In the frozen breakfast foods section.  In our town, I've only found them at Country Mart and Harter House.  In other towns, people have found them at Walmart.)

2. Cook and Serve Vanilla Pudding mix, 3 oz size (the COOK kind, not instant)

3.  A stick of butter

That's it!  Those 3 ingredients will revolutionize 2 things--1) Your breakfast life and 2) Your waistline.

You're welcome.

Now, I could post pictures of me making these beautiful cinnamon rolls, but really--let's give credit where credit is due.  I found this delightful recipe on Pinterest from Miss Terry of Tasty Nest blog.  Click on over and tell Terry hello!

                                                        Source: tastynest.blogspot.com via MarytheKay on Pinterest

 

These cinnamon rolls would make a wonderful Christmas morning breakfast!  They're simple to make, and your family will think you are a genius.

These cinnamon rolls would also make GREAT neighbor gifts.  Put 6 of them in a disposable foil pan and deliver them next door with a Christmas card, and your neighbors may even stop letting their dog, you know, "visit" your yard.  These rolls are that good.

Now, go ye forth and make cinnamon roll magic.  Afterwards, come back here and tell me how much your life...and waistline...have changed.

Have you found a brilliant (and easy) recipe lately?  Do tell!

Behold! The Chocolate Peppermint Pie

(This is a re-posting from December, 2010.  But, I pinkie promise this recipe is JUST as DIVINE as it was 2 years ago!  Want confirmation?  Well, Carissa seems to think so!)

Just the other day I needed to make a dessert for our Sunday school Christmas party.  My original plan was to make my Mississippi Mud Pie, because my dad requested it.  All good daughters make the pies their daddies request.  It's in the Bible. 

So, like the good daughter, I went to purchase the ingredients.  Only I couldn't find coffee ice cream anywhere.  Okay, so I only checked 3 different groceries, and right now my very dear friend is saying, "HELLO??  Cold Stone carries coffee ice cream!!!"  I know, I KNOW.  And truthfully--Cold Stone has the BEST coffee ice cream.  But, the problem is--Cold Stone does not carry bread, eggs, and potatoes.  And I needed groceries to feed my family.  (Remember?  I hadn't been to the grocery in weeks.)  Plus, I'm just lazy, and driving the four minutes across town to Cold Stone would have required effort.  So, dear friend, please forgive me for not getting the most delicious Cold Stone coffee ice cream. 

But, I do have to (timidly) say...without the coffee ice cream, a NEW CREATION (yes, I'm yelling it) was formed!!!!

BEHOLD!!  The Chocolate Peppermint pie!!!  

Now, if you're still with me after that mind-numbing, hunger-inducing introduction, then I'll tell the three of y'all my recipe...

Here are the ingredients you'll need:

 

(Before starting, thaw your peppermint ice cream on the counter for at least 20 minutes, so it melts to a spreadable texture. Be sure to test it at least 6 spoonfuls' worth...To make sure it's the right consistency, of course)

Step 1:  Melt jar of hot fudge in microwave.  Well, not really the jar...melt the hot fudge.  And, don't be like me and let it boil over and make a mess.  Next, pour just enough into the bottom of an Oreo pie crust to cover. 

 

Step 2:  Carefully spread a layer of peppermint ice cream on top of fudge. 

 

Step 3:  Sprinkle a layer of crushed Oreos on top.  (I use the very technical hand-crush method.  I pretend that the Oreos are the grumpy, pushy shoppers at Walmart.)

 

Step 4:  Are you keeping up with me?  I am moving at lightening speed.  Next, pour on another layer of hot fudge.  I actually ran low on the hot fudge--what with all the spillage...So, your layer can be thicker than this.  Suit yourself.

Step 5:  Put sloshy, melty pies into the freezer until they harden enough to work with again.  15-20 minutes?

 

Step 6:  Slather on a nice layer of Cool Whip.  Or, as we used to say in South Arkansas, "Coo Whip."

  

Step 7:  Put on last layer of peppermint ice cream.  Since the ingredients are now above the pie shell, I like to mound it up in the middle.  Mound 'em up, little doggies.  Don't ya just want to lick that layer right off the top?  Well, I do...

 

Step 8:  Put on the last layer...the Coo Whip.  Make it pretty with little swirls and peaks.  Then sprinkle some crushed Oreos and peppermints on top.  There!  What do you think?  I sure wish you could have tasted it...  It was cool and refreshing, and just the right amount of chocolate-y goodness.  Mmm.

What a YUMMY end result--and a FUN Christmas-y dessert...when I couldn't find any coffee ice cream for my Mississippi Mud pie.

(For you sharp people, I just betcha you can surmise my Mississippi Mud Pie recipe...  But, shhh!  Don't tell anybody!)

Want another couple of yummy Quick & Easy dessert ideas?  How about White Chocolate Popcorn?  Or one of my all-time favorites--Turtle Treats.  Oh help me.  I'm really hungry now...

I'd love some new ideas--what is YOUR favorite Christmas recipe?

Linked up with:  We are THAT Family

Brownie Cookies: I've Died and Gone to Heaven

They're like brownies...only BETTER!

But, how could someone improve on a good and dark chocolate brownie, you ask?

How about a brownie that has that tiniest bit of lovely crunch on the top, and is chewy and dark with little chunks of chocolate hidden in the middle?  YES, PLEASE!

And how about a brownie that you don't have to cut out of a pan?  I mean--having to find a spatula, and then having to cut a brownie square, and then having to find a plate and a fork...Oh my--that's just SO much work!   OH, NO!!!

Who wants to WORK at eating a brownie, when (*chipper chord*) you could just lift a lighter-than-air brownie cookie to your eager mouth?

Ah, but have I GOT A DEAL FOR YOU!!!

Forget pans of brownies cluttering up your countertops!

No more frantic searches for spatulas and knives!

No more fist fights over who gets the special crispy corner brownies!

Because NOW you can CHANGE YOUR LIFE with ONE SIMPLE RECIPE!!!!

I present to you:  BROWNIE COOKIES!!!!

(Over-kill?  Perhaps.  But, try the cookie, and then answer that question.)

Here's the magical recipe: 

(The recipe is adapted from AllRecipes.com--my favorite!!)

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup semi-sweet chocoloate chips

 Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Beat butter and white and brown sugars until smooth.  Beat in eggs, one at a time, and vanilla extract.   Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl, and stir into butter mixture until just incorporated.  

Drop a spoonful of dough 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheet, and then eat a bite of dough.  Repeat, until either dough is gone, or you have a stomach ache.

Bake in preheated oven until edges of cookies are just done--and the tops are just set, about 10-12 minutes. DO NOT over-bake these cookies.  That would be a SIN!  The allure of these cookies are their lightly crisp outsides, and rich and gooey middles.  Let the cookies cool on the pan for a couple of minutes before removing.

Remove cookies from pan, and then HIDE THEM FROM YOUR FAMILY!!!

..............................

All right, all right.  I'm done chattering on about these cookies.  But, I did want to share a fun recipe with you this Thanksgiving week!

I'm SO looking forward to a week with family and yummy food and giggles and beautiful weather.

What are YOU looking forward to this week?

image credit

Easy Thankful Gifts--Just in Time for Thanksgiving!

(Reposted from last year...But--come on--aren't you thankful AGAIN THIS YEAR?  If not, then you're an old crank, and won't like this post anyway!)

Who are you thankful for this year?

Your child's teachers... music teacher... dance teacher... postal carrier... secretary... car hop at Sonic...

How about an inexpensive and easy way to show your gratefulness for them? Last year, I made some Thankful Jars filled with peppermints.

This year, I was in a fallish mood to make some spiced tea mix to fill the Thankful Jars.   I made these jars for our daughters' teachers. (Shh! Don't tell!)  Here's what I did:

I purchased the ingredients. Actually, I purchased the Tang and lemon iced tea mix, and just assumed I had ground cinnamon and ground cloves at home. Ruh-row--guess who did NOT have ground cloves? (By the way, my 2 purchased ingredients cost $5.18, and was enough for 3 small jars.)

So, here's how I improvised--to turn whole cloves, into ground cloves: (Actually, my sweet husband helped me. He strong man make powder with big pound pound.)

Mix it all up (recipe below)--but PLEASE, do not inhale. We do not need any spiced tea hallucinations.

When you're done mixing (and not inhaling) pour the mix into your adorable little glass jars...I mean your Thankful Jars!

(I purchased mine at Walmart for $1.97 each. Mason jars would have worked great, too!)

Aren't they cutie pies?? I really love the idea of Thankful Jars, because they communicate thankfulness, yet are inexpensive and easy to put together!

I included the directions for the Spiced Tea Mix, as well as the ingredients. (Yeah, feel free to print yours...unless your stinking printer is broken like mine...) The "ribbon" I used was just some old fabric I had, that I ripped into a 1/2" strip.

Here's the poem I put on the front card:

I'm thankful for you, Mrs._______

And share this gift of tea

Thank you for being my teacher,

And caring so much for me!

And lastly, here's the recipe I used. There are lots of variations for this recipe, but this one seemed simplest, with the fewest ingredients. I suggest mixing this up, and trying a mug of it yourself--to see if you'd like to tweak it at all.

Spiced Tea Mix Recipe

2 cups orange-flavored drink mix (Tang)

1 cup lemon flavored instant tea powder (has sugar mixed in)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves

TO MAKE A CUP: Mix 3 teaspoons of mix to a mug of hot water. Mmm, enjoy!

* Does this gift not strike your fancy? How about another FUN and VERY EASY idea-- Sonic Happies! *

Who are you thankful for this year?

An Easy Way to Get Rid of Pesky Fruit Flies

I don't know WHAT is up at our house, but lately we've had lots and lots of fruit flies.  Please tell me I am not alone, and please tell me it's not because I am a slovenly housekeeper.

Have YOU had trouble with fruit flies lately?

Just in case you missed my post a couple of years ago, I thought I'd be all helpful-like, and re-post it.  Fasten your seat belts--I am about to give you an EASY BREEZY SOLUTION (literally-ha!!!) to murder those little suckers.

Without further ado, here is the super-secret solution for fruit fly homicide...from October 2010...

---------

 If you followed along last week on our Great Bike Challenge, you know we've been out-of-town for over a week.  When we got home from Maine, we had a little problem.  Fruit flies.  We were welcomed home by the friendliest sort of fruit flies--they just swarmed to welcome us!

Those pesky things are VERY annoying!  They seem to come from nowhere, and honestly--give me the heebie jeebies. 

I did a little bit of research, and found a VERY EASY WAY to escort them...well, onto their final resting place, that's where!

Don't you love a solution that uses common household products?  To get rid of fruit flies, all you need are 3 things:

  1.  A bowl

  2.  Apple cider vinegar (or soda, fruit juice, or wine)

  3.  A drop or two of dish soap 

Pour about an inch of the apple cider vinegar (from what I read, white vinegar does not work nearly as well).  On top of the vinegar, put a squirt or two of liquid dish soap.

Leave the dish out overnight, and watch those fruit flies take a nose-dive to eternity.

The vinegar/dish soap trap works really great--but don't forget to take care of the things in your kitchen that are attracting any flies.  Put any fruit sitting out into the refrigerator (or throw away).  Wash any dirty washcloths or sponges, wipe up any spills or messes.

(I'm sorry if there are any fruit fly animal rights' people reading.  Just rest assured the fruit flies died happy--swimming in the apple cider vinegar.)

 

On a related note...I am loving vinegar's widespread applications lately, and am using it for more and more things around the house.  Do you use much vinegar?

How about you?  What is your favorite natural remedy around the house?

15 seconds that can change your life (and possibly your waistline)

Nope, not going to discuss politics today.  'Cause a very wise woman once said, "If you can't say something nice...come sit by me."  (Name that movie)

Instead, I want to infuse this election season with some SWEETNESS.  Because, what the world needs now, is dessert, sweet dessert. It's the only thing...that's there's just too little of (Amen!)  No, not just for some...but for EVERYONEEEE!!!

Oh,excuse me.  I just got caught up in the moment.  Desserts do that to me every time.

Okay, maybe you already know about this wonderfully simple dessert.  Or, as I like to call it:  "A delightful little afternoon snack."  I was just re-introduced to it's simple goodness when my husband brought home a bag of marshmallows...

(See--I blame it all on him!)

Have you ever made a S'more in the microwave???  Well, I am here to tell you--15 seconds, and your life will be forever changed.  Never again will I think I have to wait 270 long days until a summertime cookout--risking my very life as I toast a marshmallow on the end of a dirty stick...dangerously close to a fire, that, frankly, makes my face really really hot, and my eyes filled with smoke.

Just 15 seconds, people.  15 seconds in the convenience of my very own comfortable kitchen.  15 seconds where my face isn't hot, and my clothes don't smell like I've been hanging out in the 7-11 again.

15 seconds, and I have a beautiful S'more dripping melty chocolate all over my chin, and marshmallow goo sticking to my fingers.

Amen.

You need:

2 Honey Maid graham crackers (they are simply the best!)

1-4 rectangle(s) of a Hershey's chocolate bar (depending on your PMS ratio)

1 marshmallow

1 dose of willpower...to resist having a 2nd S'more...or a 3rd...

15 seconds in the microwave, and your marshmallow will get all puffed up and prideful.  You SMASH that sucker down with your graham cracker half.  Don't let him get uppity with you!

WARNING:  Do not eat this dessert while operating heavy machinery!

What ridiculously simple dessert is YOUR favorite?

Linked up with:

We are THAT Family

Oh yes, I'm still fancy!

Just in case you've forgotten...I wanted to remind you:

I am still fancy.

Here's Reason #337 that I am fancy...

When faced with the dilemma of running out of time, but still needing to take a snack to Small Group at church...what is a fancy girl to do?

Also, fancy girl really really needed a $1 Coke to take with her to Small Group.

(*"need" is typically a subjective present participle verb)

What did fancy girl do to solve her snack dilemma?

Why, she took a fancy snack to Small Group, she sure did.

How does she do it?

How does fancy girl pull off taking WARM and delicate pumpkin pie bites when she doesn't have any time to bake?

How does fancy girl pull off a season-appropriate snack?

How DOES she ALWAYS manage to stay fancy?

...

Fancy is, as fancy does...

 

And THAT'S how it's done.

Keep it fancy, ya'll!!

How have YOU been keeping it fancy lately?

Another magic trick! This time with CORN!!

Well, just call me Holly Helpful.

Because I have another helpful magic trick for ya today!

However, technically, I've already told you.  Weren't you listening?  

Last year, I stumbled on an amazing You Tube video of the cutest guy teaching all the world how to de-silk ears of corn.  Even though I was blown away by his trick, I never actually tried it...until this week.

And guess what?  It works AMAZINGLY!!!!  Plus, it is EASY-BREEZY!

 First, you microwave the untrimmed corn on the cob for 4 minutes per ear.  (I microwaved 2 at a time on top of a paper towel)

Carefully, and with oven mitts, pull the cooked corn out of the microwave and place on a cutting board. 

Cut off the end of the corn--the base--about an inch from the bottom

Then, carefully, slide off the husks.  You'll see--the corn will come out perfectly silk-free!

It's MAGIC!!!

Just in case you never saw the amazing You Tube tutorial the first time--you have to watch!  Here 'tis:

(Click on this link if you can't see the video below)

 

Now, go ye forth and SHUCK SOME CORN!