Granny's Potato Candy

My husband touched my heart in a way today that I really can't put into words...but I'm gonna try. Here's the story...

My Granny made THE best candy. Every Christmas I knew I'd be getting her awesome Potato Candy. Every Christmas I expected, and every Christmas I got it. Heaven!

Well, this Christmas my candymaker is in Heaven. My Granny passed away September 7th, the day after my birthday. The other evening as Jim and I were perusing my Christmas goodie recipes I realized I wouldn't be getting any of Granny's Potato Candy this year...or any other year. I also am pretty sure I didn't get Granny's recipe when we were going thru her stuff. I teared up, but went on about my business of recipe searching.

This afternoon following lunch Jim and Jake headed out to my in-law's house to shoot Jim's new pistol he bought yesterday. Merry Christmas to him!) When they got back home a while later Jim was carrying this big, white, plastic-wrapped burrito-looking thing. Then he handed it to me...it was an unsliced roll of Potato Candy! He'd looked up the recipe online and gave it to his mom. He had her make me Granny's Potato Candy. Needless to say, I wept. and wept. and wept. That roll of candy was probably the best gift he could have given me. I simply can not put into words how my heart felt as I sliced that candy, and tasted it, and thought of Granny and of how much my husband loves me.

Merry Christmas to me.

Free Tip Friday

To some of you today's tip may be a "no brainer"; however, I know there are folks out there who don't do it. "It" is to make out your grocery list according to the layout of the store you'll be shopping in.

Doing this will save you countless backtracking trips. It'll also save you from forgetting to go back and pick up that one item you forgot in the aisle before last.

I had this tip all lined out and working for me like clockwork. Then - my local Walmart decided to reorganize all their grocery aisles. Argh! I'm learning, though. Each time I go in I'm able to get closer and closer.

Do you have any grocery shopping tips you'd like to share?

Thankful Thursday

I am thankful that even now as the hustle and bustle of the Christmas holiday is ramping up, my husband, myself, and my son each know and remember the REAL reason for the season.

Without God's unfailing love for us, which came to earth in the form of Jesus Christ, we would not celebrate Christmas. I am so thankful that God loved me and you that much.

What are you thankful for today?

What's Cookin' Wednesday

This week...YumYum Coffee Cake. And it is yummy! Here's the recipe:

Mix together:

3 cups flour

1 pound box of brown sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup melted butter

After mixing together, set aside 1 cup of this mixture for later. You can add one cup of nuts to the reserved mixture if you want. To the rest add:

1 egg

1 cup buttermilk

1 tsp vanilla

Mix well and place in a greast 9x13 pan. Sprinkle the reserved mixture over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

We were taught to eat this with a "little" bit of butter spread on it while it's warm. However, it's good hot, cold, warm, room temperature...and probably even frozen. :)

Enjoy!

Menu Plan Monday

Sorry this didn't get posted sooner...but I had a good excuse! JOHN BEVERE spoke at our church last night. You know...Bait of Satan, Under Cover, Honor's Reward...THAT John Bevere.

Oh, and he was gooood.

Anyway...here's what's on the menu for my family this week:

Sunday - we had Saturday's leftovers of the BIG pot of chili I made;
Monday - cajun beef and baked potatoes with broccoli;
Tuesday - smothered chicken and green bean skillet with a salad;
Wednesday - ham quiche;
Thursday - parmesan chicken;
Friday - tacos with mexican rice;
Saturday - sloppy joes or leftover buffet.

So there you have it. My week of cooking bliss! :)

*****I'm editing this post here --- I'm sorry folks...the spacing is all off again. Guess I'm not smart enough to figure out what I'm doing wrong. AAARRRGGGHHHH!!!!******

Free Tip Friday

So have you ever heard of OAMC? That is, Once A Month Cooking. I've tried and tried to get myself completely there, but have never made it. However, one thing that I've done ever since Jake was a baby is double-up on certain meals.

For example...when you're making something for dinner that can be easily frozen, then make a double batch. Two meatloaves instead of one, two batches of sloppy joes, twice the servings of baked chicken breasts, twice the servings of spaghetti sauce and/or meatballs, etc, etc, etc. It's really just as easy to mix up two meatloaves and bake the at the same time. Some folks freeze the second before baking, but I say why wait? That way you can put the baked, frozen one into the fridge the night before to thaw, then reheat in the microwave.

Anyway, you get the idea I'm going for. It's the same theory as OAMC, but not nearly to the same extent. You're still saving time, energy, and mess clean-up. I love knowing I have pre-cooked meals in my freezer.

There are TONS of websites out there about OAMC and "freezer cooking". All are based on the same info. It's a great thing to keep in mind when you find chicken or beef or any other meat on sale at the grocery store. Of course, you'd get very tired of the same dish every night for a week, but if you do the "cook one and freeze one" method, you're keeping that extra food from going to waste and saving yourself time in the kitchen later on.

Just call me a OAMC wanna-be! :)

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful that I NEVER have to get these clean again...

These are my son's football cleats after his last traveling football team tournament this past weekend. We were just west of St Louis, and had gotten about 2 inches of snow overnight. After playing two games in one day on sloshy fields...this is the result. Aren't you jealous? :)