Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

Yesterday's dead,
Tomorrow's unborn,
So there's nothing to fear
And nothing to mourn,
For all that is past
And all that has been
Can never return
To be lived once again -
And what lies ahead
Or the things that will be
Are still in God's Hands
So it is not up to me
To live in the future
That is God's great unknown,
For the past and the present
God claims for His own,
So all I need do
Is to live for Today
And trust God to show me
The Truth and the Way -
For it's only the memory
Of things that have been
And expecting tomorrow
To bring trouble again
That fills my today,
Which God wants to bless,
With uncertain fears
And borrowed distress -
For all I need live for is this one little minute,
For life's Here and Now
And Eternity's in it.

~Helen Steiner Rice

Daisy in the rear view mirror

An Afternoon at the Park

"What riches are ours in the world of nature, from the majesty of a distant peak to the fragile beauty of a tiny flower, and all without cost to us, the beholders! No man is poor who has watched a sunrise or who keeps a mountain in his heart."

~ Esther Baldwin York

"There is a serene and settled majesty to woodland scenery that enters into the soul and delights and elevates it, and fills it with noble inclinations."

~Washington Irving

My Fair Lady

Cheese Filled Manicoti

Cheese Filled Manicotti
6 servings

1 package manicotti shells
15 ounces ricotta cheese
8 ounces mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
2 tablespoons parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon oregano

Cook manicotti shells according to package directions. Combine cheeses, bread crumbs, parsley, and salt; set aside. Saute onion and garlic in olive oil. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, water, basil and oregano. Simmer 30 minutes. Pour half the sauce in a baking dish. Stuff cooked manicotti shells with cheese filling; arrange in dish and top with remaining sauce. Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Enjoy!

Hints for the Homemaker

from Betty Crocker's New Picture Cookbook 1961

• PLAN AHEAD

Write menus for a week's meals at a time. Shop for staples once a week, fresh fruits and vegetables twice weekly.

When cooking, assemble all ingredients and utensils before beginning to prepare the dish.

If you have a freezer, make several cakes, pies, cookies, main dishes or sandwiches at a time and freeze some for future use.

• COMBINE JOBS

Bake cake or cookies while washing dishes or cooking dinner. Pare vegetables while meat is browning.

Plan leftovers. Cook some foods to be served more than one, such as beef roast; use again for beef sandwiches, beef hash and beef pie.

Plan and organize daily work while working with hands (peeling potatoes, sweeping floor, etc.)

• REFRESH YOUR SPIRITS

Every morning before breakfast, comb hair, apply makeup and a dash of cologne. Does wonders for your morale and your family's, too!

Think pleasant thoughts while working and a chore will become a "labor of love."

Have a hobby. Garden, paint pictures, look through magazines for home planning ideas, read a good book or attend club meetings. Be interested - and you'll always be interesting!

If you have a spare moment, sit down, close your eyes and just relax.

• ORGANIZE WORK

Have a weekly plan for scheduling such tasks as washing, ironing, baking, shopping, cleaning the refrigerator or washing the floors. One task done each day provides a sense of accomplishment and keeps work from piling up.

Alternate sitting-down tasks and standing-up tasks. Don't be on your feet too long.

Let the family help you. Very young children can set the table; older ones can help cook and wash the dishes. Include them in party plans.

• BE COMFORTABLE

Wear comfortable shoes and easy-fitting clothes while working.

Stand erect. Good posture prevents fatigue.

Have sink, work table, and counter tops at a height that is comfortable to eliminate strain.

Use a dust mop and long-handled dust pan. Use a self-wringing mop to prevent stooping.

Farmhouse Bar-B-Q Biscuits

Farmhouse Bar-B-Q Biscuits
5 servings

1 tube (10 ounces) refrigerator biscuits
1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup ketchup
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Flatten biscuits and press into the bottom and up the sides of a greased muffin tin; set aside. Brown ground beef; add ketchup, vinegar, and chili powder. Spoon beef into biscuit lined muffin cups and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 375° for 20 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from tin. Enjoy!

A Cup of Blessing

"Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything that is beautiful; for beauty is God's handwriting - a wayside sacrament. Welcome it in every fair face, in every fair sky, in every fair flower, and thank God for it as a cup of blessing." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

"In all ranks of life the human heart yearns for the beautiful; and the beautiful things that God makes are his gift to all alike." ~Harriet Beecher Stowe

"Why should we think about things that are lovely? Because thinking determines life. It is a common mistake to blame life upon environment. Environment modifies but does not govern life. The soul is stronger than its surroundings." ~William James

Milk and Honey Bread

Milk and Honey Bread
2 loaves - one to enjoy and one to share!

1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
2 1/2 cups warm milk (110° to 115°)
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 teaspoons salt
7 - 8 cups all-purpose flour (or 1/2 all-purpose, 1/2 whole wheat)

Dissolve yeast in warm milk. Add honey, butter, salt and 5 cups of flour; beat until smooth. Add enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured board; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch dough down and shape into two loaves. Place in greased 9-in. x 5-in. x 3-in. loaf pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Bake at 375° for 35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans and cool on wire racks. Enjoy!

Makes delicious sandwiches!

Morning Coffee

Every morning I look forward to my first cup of coffee. A few moments of quiet before the busyness of the day begins. And this morning, a few chuckles, too -
“Be a coffee-drinking individual - espresso yourself!”

~Author Unknown

“I make serious coffee - so strong

it wakes up the neighbors.”

~Author Unknown

“In America you can buy bucket-sized cups of coffee in any flavor you like other than coffee-flavor.”

~Author Unknown

“Deja Brew: The feeling that you've

had this coffee before.”

~Author Unknown

"I bought a decaffinated coffee table;

you can't even see the difference."

~Author Unknown

“This coffee tastes like mud!

Well, it was ground this morning.”

~Author Unknown(I had to think about this last one for awhile ,

before I got it! Maybe I haven't had enough coffee yet this morning…)

That "Mr. Author Unknown"

– he sure is a funny guy! ;-)

Fettuccine Primavera

Fettuccine Primavera

6 servings

8 ounces fettuccine

1 1/4 cups chicken broth, divided

1 small zucchini, coarsely chopped

1 small yellow summer squash, coarsely chopped

1 small sweet red pepper, chopped

1 medium carrot, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

3 teaspoons dried basil

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 teaspoons corn starch

2 tomatoes, cut into wedges

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese

1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

Cook fettuccine according to package directions. Bring 3/4 cup broth to a boil. Add zucchini, yellow squash, red pepper, carrot, onion, basil and salt. Return to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 6-8 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Combine cornstarch and remaining broth until smooth; stir into vegetable mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Remove from heat; stir in tomatoes and sour cream. Drain fettuccine; toss with vegetable mixture, parmesan cheese and parsley. Enjoy!

Opinions please?

I have a decorating dilemma and would love your opinion! I can't decide which set of curtains I prefer in my kitchen window. I love the look of the brown tiers, but I have so much brown already and would love to bring out the blue of my dishes with the gingham valance. Which do you think looks nicer? (You can click on each picture for a larger image.) Thanks!

Choice #1 - brown tier set

Choice #2 - blue gingham valance

Tropical Lime Chicken

Tropical Lime Chicken
4 servings

for salsa:
1/2 cup pineapple tidbits
1 kiwifruit, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup chopped sweet red pepper
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
for chicken:
4 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon grated lime peel
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 cup couscous

Combine salsa ingredients; cover and refrigerate until serving. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine lime juice, oil, lime peel, salt and pepper; add chicken. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for 2-4 hours. Drain and discard marinade. Place chicken in broiler pan. Broil 3 in. from heat for 5-6 minutes on each side. Cook couscous according to package directions. Serve chicken over couscous and pass salsa. Enjoy!

This was a new recipe I tried tonight and it actually went over very well with my family. I had been a little worried since it is quite a bit different from our usual fare. My husband, especially enjoyed it.

Little by Little

Little by Little

“Little by little," an acorn said,
As it slowly sank in its mossy bed;
“I am improving day by day,
Hidden deep in the earth away.”
Little by little each day it grew;
Little by little it sipped the dew;
Downward it sent out a thread-like root;
Up in the air sprung a tiny shoot.
Day after day, and year after year,
Little by little the leaves appear;
And the slender branches spread far and wide,
Till the mighty oak is the forest’s pride.

“Little by little,” said a thoughtful boy,
“moment by moment I’ll well employ,
Learning a little every day,
And not spending all my time in play;
And still this rule in my mind shall dwell,
‘Whatever I do, I will do it well.’
Little by little I’ll learn to know
The treasured wisdom of long ago;
And one of these days perhaps we’ll see
That the world will be the better for me.”
And do you not think that this simple plan
Made him a wise and useful man?

Author Unknown

Supper Menus
May 12th-17th

Monday
tropical lime chicken, couscous, mediterranean salad
Tuesday
fettuccine primavera, bread sticks
Wednesday
creamed chicken in a basket, fresh green beans, baby carrots
Thursday
farmhouse bar-b-q biscuits, home fries, baked beans
Friday
manicotti, garlic bread, green salad
Saturday
homemade pizza, green salad

Happy Mother's Day!

"A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five hungry people, promptly announces that she has never really cared for pie."

~Tenneva Jordan

Stuffed Bell Peppers

Stuffed Bell Peppers

6 servings

6 medium bell peppers

1 pound ground beef

1 onion, diced

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 can (14 1/2 ounces) stewed tomatoes

1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste

2 cups cooked rice

1 can (11 ounces) corn kernels, drained

1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Slice tops off peppers; cut away ribs and remove seeds. Steam peppers until softened slightly, about 4 minutes. Brown ground beef and onion; drain fat. Add Worcestershire sauce, stewed tomatoes, and tomato paste. Stir in cooked rice, corn, and seasonings. Heat through, stirring occasionally. Stir in 1 cup of the cheese. Place the peppers upright in a casserole dish and spoon filling into peppers. Cover loosely with foil. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes. Sprinkle tops of the peppers with remaining cheese and bake uncovered 10 minutes more or until cheese has browned. Enjoy!

This recipe makes more meat mixture then you need for six peppers - so freeze half of it. On a busy night, all you need to do is thaw the filling, steam six more peppers and you're ready to go!

A Little Thread of Gold

"Doing up cut fingers, kissing hurt places, and singing bedtime songs are small things by themselves; but they will inculcate a love for home and family that will last through life and help to keep America a land of homes.

Putting up the school lunch for the children or cooking a good meal for the family may seem very insignificant tasks as compared with giving a lecture, writing a book, or doing other things that have a larger audience; but I doubt if, in the ultimate reckoning, they will count for as much. It belittles us to think of our daily tasks as small things, and if we continue to do so, it will in time make us small. It will narrow our horizon and make of our work just drudgery.

There are so many little things that are really very great, and when we learn to look beyond the insignificant appearing acts themselves to their far reaching consequences, we will 'despise not the day of small things.' We will feel an added dignity and poise from the fact that our everyday round of duties is as important as any other part of the work of the world.

And just as a little thread of gold, running through a fabric, brightens the whole garment, so women's work at home, while only the doing of little things, is like the golden gleam of sunlight that runs through and brightens all the fabric of civilization."

~Laura Ingalls Wilder, May 1923

Linked to A Wise Woman Builds Her Home.