Count Your Blessings Monday

Thank you, Marci, for giving us an opportunity every Monday to not only count our blessings, but to share them with others. This is a way that we can encourage one another. Make a post on your blog telling us about your blessing. Please put a link back to Marci's post and add the URL of your blog post on Marci's Mr. Linky. Many of our blessings we will have pictures of and we can share those as well. Many times we forget that it is a blessing to be able to breath, to get out of bed, to hold a baby... Share your blessings with us.

This week I jumped the gun. I posted this yesterday. If no one had commented yet, I was going to change the post date and start over. However, I had comments!! (That's one blessing in itself.) Please check here for my blessing this week.

I am blessed

"I am my beloved's, and his desire is for me." Song of Solomon 7:10

Since going back to work, Eric has taken over most of the cooking. He gets home earlier, enjoys cooking, and (as you'll see) is more creative with leftovers*. The other day I came home to a four-course meal prepared by my husband.

First course...

Pepper Jack cheese cubes*, olives*, crackers*, glass of wine
(Notice the lit candle?)

Second course...

Salad with mixed greens, strawberries, goat cheese, pecans/walnuts* & macadamia nuts* drizzled with a raspberry oil & vinegar dressing

Third course...

BBQ riblets*, chicken gnocchi*, fried okra, & bread stick*

Fourth course...
S'more Pie
Oreo cookie crust with layers of marshmallow, chocolate syrup, & chocolate chunks then broiled in the oven to burn the top
(everyone burns their marshmallows, right?)

Is there such a thing as being too blessed? Hmmm...nope - don't think so!!

PS - The S'more Pie came straight from the pages of Bon Appetit magazine.

PPS - We have no clue (nor do we care) about the calories, fat grams, preservatives, etc, etc, etc.

Yummy Peach Cobbler

"Thus all the tithe of the land, of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD'S; it is holy to the LORD." Leviticus 27:30
Until we have fruit trees again, we're buying fruit from the local grocer or fruit stands. Right now, Safeway has peaches on sale: 10 lbs for $10!! Who can pass that up??

One of my special blogger friends, Sue, recently harvested peaches from her newly acquired peach tree. Here's the recipe I promised her. I got this years ago and it is one of the best cobblers I've ever had. Enjoy!


PEACH COBBLER

Filling...
1 c sugar
2 T flour
1/4 t ground nutmeg
4 c peeled, sliced, fresh peaches

Topping...
1 c sugar
1 c flour
1 t baking powder
1 t salt
1/3 c cold butter
1 egg, beaten

Filling...Combine sugar, flour, nutmeg. Add peaches*. Stir to coat. Dump into greased 11x7x2 baking pan**.

Topping...Combine sugar, flour, baking powder, salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in egg. Spoon over peaches. Option: sprinkle nutmeg or cinnamon on top.

Bake at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until topping is golden brown.

* I regularly substitute a large can of peaches from the grocer using the juice and all in a 9x13 pan.
** I prefer cast iron or stoneware which does not need greased once seasoned.


Please visit Sue at photowannabe. The view of life through her lens is really quite amazing.

Are you ready for a splash of summer?

"Thou hast established all the boundaries of the earth; Thou hast made summer and winter." Psalm 74:17

You've just got to try this. I know it's a summer recipe, but it is a truly wonderful splash of summer goodness!

Fresh Dill Tzatziki
Bon Appetit, August 2004

2 c plain whole-milk yogurt
1 12-oz unpeeled English cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeded, coarsely grated
1 t coarse kosher salt
1/4 c sour cream
1 T minced fresh Italian parsley
1 T white wine vinegar
2 1/2 t minced fresh dill
1 1/2 t olive oil
1 small garlic clove, minced

Line sieve with 2 layers of cheesecloth; place over deep bowl. Spoon yogurt into sieve. Cover; chill sieve in bowl overnight. Toss cucumber and 1 t salt in bowl. Let stand 1 hour. Drain as much liquid as possible from cucumber, then pat dry with paper towels. Transfer yogurt to bowl; discard liquid. Mix cucumber into yogurt. Mix in remaining ingredients. Season with salt and pepper. Cover; chill 1 to 4 hours.

NOTE: It tastes best when eaten with plain crackers such as Carr's Table Water Crackers. Chew very slowly and let it sit in your mouth for just a few seconds before you swallow. Your tongue will love you for this! Let me know if you try it.

Hubby: my personal chef

Chocolate Souffles with Peanut Butter Centers
"O taste and see that the Lord is good; how blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!" Psalm 34:8

This smooth, creamy, warm, rich treat made our lazy Sunday afternoon quite special. Hubby loves to cook and I don't mind a bit! His approach toward food is quite different, though - cook a recipe once then toss it and move on to the next. The Lord has made available so many flavors, why get stuck in a rut? Several times a year, he purchases the current Bon Appetit magazine. This particular dessert was published in the November 2006 issue.

At first, this philosophy was rather difficult for me as I love my comfort foods; however, I've grown to enjoy it immensely. It takes much less time to select an item from a menu. It's all food. Next time chose something else.

(Just between you & me, I've saved a few of the recipes which demanded another taste-test!)