I am very fortunate to have a husband that not only loves to cook, but also makes very delicious meals. One of our recent favorite dishes is Feta-Stuffed Chicken Breasts. This recipe was taken from the Weight Watchers Ready, Set, Go! Cookbook.Ingredients:2 ounces fat-free feta cheese, crumbled2 moist-packed sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil), finely chopped4 large fresh basil leaves, chopped1/4 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon black pepper1/4 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)4 5 oz. skinless, boneless, chicken, breasts4 teaspoons fat free mayonnaiseDirections:1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray nonstick baking pan with nonstick spray.2. With fork, mix together feta, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until blended. Spread panko on sheet of waxed paper.3. With ... read more
In My Visions
In my visions I find the answer....It was an early spring morning, the cool freshness of the air swept over me, causing me to breath in deep. The sun's rays warmed my face as I walked along the edge of the pond that glistened in the first days light. One by one the brown feathered ducks swam up to the shore to greet me good morning. Their eager beaks awaited in anticipation as I took their breakfast out of the bread sack. Such beautiful creatures happy and content in the simple things of life. As I turned the corner of the dirt path the fragrance of the lilacs caught me be surprise as the lavender, purple and white bushes awoke from their nights sleep. One of my favorite flowers in full bloom, ready to greet the world. Up further I climbed to see what glories the park beheld. Under my ... read more
Clinging on for Dear Life
Photo Credit Every Friday at the Gypsy Mama's website we write for five minutes flat about a certain word, no editing, no back tracking, just write what ever comes to mind. The word for today is....Grit...When we look at the past chapters of our lives we run across times that we can not believe we have gone through or would ever want to go through in life again. Those times when we feel as if we were over the edge of the steepest cliff hanging on for dear life by the end of a rope, not with our hands but with our teeth, clinging on for dear life. Our hands are full with stuff....our own stuff.... that we are to stubborn to let go off.It's in those times when the hardness of life creates little sand pebbles that wear away at the very core of our soul, creating discomfort and ... read more
The Lord Will Fight for You
Those little thoughts of anxiety can so easily creep over a cancer patient. An upcoming doctor's appointment, an upcoming blood draw, or awaiting the results of a PET scan, can cause us to feel as if we are in the rushing, white water rapids, clinging on for dear life. As I was pondering over the reality of cancer last week, I could here the Lord's voice speaking to me...as Exodus 14:14 ran through my mind.... "Stop!" the Lord said."The Lord will fight for you; You need only to be still." "Ok, Lord....but you just don't understand..." Again I heard it, "The Lord will fight for you. You need only to be still." Then, it hit me...how many times in life are we not still. How many times do we try to take it back from God, to fix it ourselves, or waste our energy worrying about a ... read more
Oh So Yummy!
One of my favorite things to do is bake, and one of my favorite things to bake are chocolate chip cookies. Henceforth, my favorite Sesame Street character is the Cookie Monster (smile). This recipe was previously posted a few years ago, but they are so yummy I wanted to share them with you again. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do. Chocolate Chip Cookies Ingredients:1/2 cup +3 Tablespoons butter (butter should be chilled) 3 Tablespoons butter flavored Crisco 1 cup golden brown sugar 1/2 cup white sugar 2 large eggs 2 teaspoons real vanilla 2 1/2 cups flour 1 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon baking soda1/2 teaspoon baking powder2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips Directions:Heat oven to 350*. Mix butter and Crisco in mixer on medium speed. Slowly add sugars. Mix together 3-4 minutes, ... read more
Careful! Don’t Let it Slip Away!
Time is such a precious commodity. We have to be careful, because it's something that slips away so fast. The older I get it seems like the less time I have. Sometimes, it seems that the simplest things I have on my to do list, end up taking the longest time. I sure hope I'm not the only one that feels this way......One thing that I want to make sure of is that I use my time to the best of my ability. The years we have while our children are still at home go by way to fast. I want to take advantage of every opportunity to create memories and a strong family bond with them. I say these things, not because I'm perfect at them, but to daily remind myself of how important it is to take advantage of each moment. In every season of my life I want to make sure that my time is well spent."There is ... read more
“What are They Going to Do Arrest Us?”
Today is 5 Minute Friday at the Gypsy Mama's website. Every Friday we take 5 minutes to right about a certain word. The word for today is delight. The rain poured down ever so softy on the window as my husband and I drove to the opposite end of town. It was a chili Saturday morning, as we parked our car on the deserted road. My husband ran to the other side of the street and checked the doors of the building to see if they were locked. He ran back to the car and said, "There not locked, what are they going to do arrest us?" Away we went on our adventure.........I stopped outside the doors and pointed my camera to the sky and took a picture of something I had always wanted to see up close...... As the thick wooden doors creaked open, we slowly walked in, my heart leapt and I sighed ... read more
When it’s Breast Cancer Hard
When it's breast cancer hard, don't give up! Don't let cancer steal your joy. In the wee small hours of the morning when you can't sleep and your left alone with your thoughts, there is hope. Hope in the Savior. Cry out to Him. He will give you comfort, in the hard to breath moments, when you feel like your world is closing in around you, He will give meaning to your life. Cancer can take so much.....fight back with all your might and with the Lord's help. Enjoy your days, enjoy your family, your children, and all the beauty around you. When it's breast cancer hard, turn to your support systems. Seek out your family and your friends. Seek out a church or a support group in your area. Here are some online groups that offer support as well, Breast Cancer Sisterhood, and Team Inspire.If ... read more
Contentment
The clock strikes 5:00 and it's almost time for your husband to be home. The day did not go as planned, the dishes are in the sink, crumbs mixed with peanut butter are scattered on the kitchen floor, the baby is teething and the older children have not finished their lessons plans. As far as dinner is concerned, leftovers are on the menu. We have all reached this point at one time or another in our days of mommyhood. Days when we would like to pull our hair out.....days when we feel like we are all alone...days when we feel like this will go on forever. From a seasoned mom of almost 17 years, there is good news, there is hope, you are not alone, days like these don't last forever. This is only a season, one that passes by to quickly. There is a trick, to moving through these days, ... read more
The Unspoken Love
The unspoken love of a child climbing onto your lap for no reason..... The unspoken love of a handmade card filled with XX's and OO's... The unspoken love of a child's laughter.... The unspoken love of a tiny hand grabbing your finger.... The unspoken love of an affectionate touch... The unspoken love of a knowing glance... The unspoken love of a soft caress ... The unspoken love of a tender kiss.... The unspoken love of walking hand in hand in a gentle spring rain... The unspoken love of silence, when no words need to be said... The unspoken love of dancing to no music... On this Valentine's Day, may you take a moment to celebrate the unspoken loves in your life.... Take a moment to be silent and still.... To capture these treasures around you....Embrace the love in the ... read more