Here are several tried-and-true recipes that are sure to make you the Belle of the Buffet at your next Sunday School potluck.

Submitted by Lou Alice:

LAURA’S GRITS

(4-6 servings)
1 can chicken broth
½ cup cream
2 T. Butter
½ cup quick grits (NOT instant grits)
Pepper Jack or Monterey Jack cheese

Mix liquids in pan, Bring to a boil. Add grits and let rise to a boil. Turn down to a low simmer for 5-7 minutes. Add grated cheese. Stir until blended. Serve immediately. (4-6 servings)

Lisa has gone through her recipe file and compiled a list of her absolute favorites. This should keep us busy for a few meals!

MT. VERNON GARDEN CLUB’S CHICKEN DIVAN
Grandmama made this delicious recipe for many of her friends that were sick, tired, or just were in need of some good cheer. This is an excellent casserole to take to friends who are pregnant, sick, or that have a new baby.

2 (10 oz.) packages of frozen broccoli
2 cups of cooked chicken, cubed
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 cup mayonnaise
package of silvered almonds
i tsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. curry powder
1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup bread crumbs

Arrange cooked broccoli in greased casserole. Top with cubed chicken. Combine remaining ingredients, except for cheese and bread crumbs. Pour over chicken. Top with cheese and bread crumbs. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, or until bubbly. Enjoy!

ROAST BEEF WITH NEW POTATOES AND CARROTS
This is one of my husband’s favorite meals. I love it because it cooks all day in the crockpot, and when I come home from work, dinner is ready.

London Broil
4-6 New potatoes, washed, quartered, and with the skins remaining
1 bag of baby carrots
Meat tenderizer
1 bay leaf

Fill the crockpot halfway with water. Stab the London Broil with meat tenderizer. Place the roast into the crockpot. Wash and slice the new potatoes, and place into the crockpot. Wash the carrots and place into the crockpot. Place the bay leaf on top of the roast. Cook on high for the first hour then turn down to low. Cook for about 6-8 hours.

MIMI’S FAMOUS CHICKEN SALAD
This is from a little restaurant in my husband’s hometown. They have the best chicken salad!

4 whole chicken breasts, bone in
Mayonnaise, Hellmann’s
1-2 T. celery seed
Pickle relish
Salt
Pepper (I use white pepper.)

Boil chicken until tender. Let cool, cut in bite-size pieces. Place chicken in mixing bowl. Add just enough mayonnaise to moisten chicken. Add 1-2 tablespoons celery seed. Add 1/2 cup of pickle relish. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix together. If salad seems too dry add more mayonnaise or pickle relish. Store in airtight container in refrigerator. We serve a big scoop of chicken salad on a bed of leaf lettuce with fresh fruit and poppy seed dressing and a muffin. We also serve our chicken salad on a fresh croissant. Delicious!

MIMI’S POPPY SEED DRESSING

1 1/2 c. white vinegar
2 c.. sugar
1/2 sm. onion, grated
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 c. poppy seed
1 c. mayonnaise
3 c. salad oil (Wesson oil or Crisco oil)

Mix in blender or food processor on high speed. Great on fruit salads! We have many customers who request this dressing with other salads as well! Delicious on fried chicken salad. Make some extra for gifts at Christmas!

TOSSED SALAD A LA LYNDA
Mom made this salad for our engagement dinner, and it was wonderful! My mother-in-law insisted on getting this recipe.

1 head of Boston lettuce
As much Iceberg lettuce on hand
1 Carrot, grated
(Other raw vegetables as your refrigerator provides)

Have available:

Black olives
Croutons
Cheddar Cheese

Dressing:

1/2 cup oil
1 cup salad vinegar
1 pkg Hidden Valley Ranch dressing
Pour dressing over salad. Add croutons, black olives, and grated Cheddar cheese. Toss and serve!

MOM’S BREAKFAST CASSEROLE
Mom & Dad always serve this wonderful casserole for Christmas brunch along with sparkling grape juice. It brings back fond childhood Christmas memories.

Chicken, sausage, or ground beef
Seasoned croutons
4-5 eggs
4 cups of milk
Cheddar cheese, grated

In an 8″ x 12″ casserole dish (Pyrex), layer cooked meat, chicken, sausage, or ground beef. Next, place a layer of seasoned croutons over the meat. Mix in a blender or beat by hand, 4-5 eggs, 4 cups of milk, grated cheese. Pour the mixture over the top of the meat and croutons. Let stand overnight. Bake in the oven for an hour at 350 the next morning (Christmas morning).

BROCCOLI SALAD
I make this for many family gatherings. Everyone always loves it — enjoy!

4 cups of chopped broccoli
1/2 cup red onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup bacos or 4 strips bacon (I use turkey bacon)
i cup raisins
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. cider vinegar

Mix all ingredients tgoether except bacon. Stir in bacon just before serving. This salad can be prepared the day before serving.

CHOCOLATE-DIPPED STRAWBERRIES
Chocolate-dipped strawberries capture the essence of celebrating Valentine’s Day. In the spring, I love picking fresh strawberries and making this. This is a crowd pleaser!

One 12-ounce package semisweet chocolate chips
One 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or liquer (optional)
2 pints strawberries, washed but left unstemmed

1. Place the chocolate chips and milk in a 3-cup glass dish. Microwave on high for 1 minute and stir. If not completely melted, microwave for 15 seconds more; stir. Repeat if necessary. When completely melted, stir in the sweetened condensed milk or vanilla extract or liquer, if using.

2. When ready to serve, reheat in the microwave over low power untll warm. Place in the fondue pot over a very low flame and surround with strawberries and pound cake, if using. Have someone stir the pot as needed to keep the sauce from scorching.

CORN CASSEROLE

This is a recipe from my aunt, who is a wonderful cook. It is easy to make and tastes divine.
1 can of sweet, cream corn
1 can of kernel corn
i pkg of Jiffy cornbread mix
1 egg
1/3 cup of milk
1 pkg of sour cream
Cheddar Cheese, grated

Mix together and bake for 30 minutes. Enjoy!

I hope you’re all having a FANTABULOUS Valentine’s Day. I know I am! In fact, I’ve been way too busy to get this Carnival ready to post — so guess what? That means you’ve still got several more hours to “Send Me the Recipes.” The deadline is usually 3 pm — but if you’ve been as swamped as I am in chocolate Valentines and heart-shaped lollipops — and kids bouncing off the ceiling — then don’t despair. Just send me something by 8 pm. That’s when things should settle back down over here.

May God bless you with a day filled with love and refreshment. Thanks for stopping in!
🙂

P.S. We really need some vegetables to go with this potluck!

Well, you thought you’d just click into my blog today to see what I’m rambling about … but I’ve got a surprise for you. Slip on your seatbelt and prepare for take-off. We’re outta here.

We’re meeting author Mary DeMuth at a tiny café nestled along the French Riviera — oui, elle habite en France. She’s joining us on her blog tour, as she’s telling the world about her life as a mom, missionary, and author of several new books.

Hi, Mary.

BONJOUR mes amies!

So, what do you suggest we order from the menu?

Well, I think you’d like the chocolat chaude (hot chocolate) for starters, then let’s have salade chevre chaud — my favorite salad—it’s a tossed green salad with tomatoes, little toasts and baked goat cheese. Then I’d like veal with some sort of cream sauce and you might enjoy the steak with béarnaise sauce. And molten chocolate cake for dessert. We can people watch while we try not to let all the cigarette smoke choke us!

Mmm … OK … I’m sipping the chocolate now and waving away the smoke. I can feel the warm Riviera sun on my back — and I’m wishing I remembered more of my college French. So, tell us, Mary, how did you and your family end up moving from Texas to France?

Well, on our ten-year anniversary (five years ago), my husband surprised me with a trip to Paris. Whenever we tell this story to other married couples, I see the wives elbow their husbands!

If my husband were here, he’d get the elbow about now. Sounds romantic.

(Laughs) While we were there, we felt such a burden for Europe, something missiologists are now calling the Lost Continent. We couldn’t find a church anywhere, though we’ve now discovered a few. We could really sense the lostness.

So after you came home, did you have some idea you might go back?

We gave it some serious thought. Patrick was three years away from finishing his master’s in theology at Dallas Seminary. He wanted to graduate with a goal in mind — so Europe — France in particular, became our goal.

Sounds wonderful. But how did you figure out a way to get over there?

We eventually met up with an amazing and like-minded missions agency that specializes in planting relevant churches in postmodern Europe. Patrick graduated in May of 2004 and we were on the field that August. We’ve been here a year and a half. With a team of people, we’re planting a church.

Wow. You’re living a dream life — in France! But did you have any culture shock once you got over there?

Um. Yeah. Big time.

Can you tell us what was your biggest adjustment?

Grocery shopping. Laundering. Not understanding the language. Everything. It’s very disconcerting to move to another culture, particularly one you think is western and therefore similar to your own. But it’s not at all similar. You can read a few of my early essays about France in my blog.

I’ll have to check them out. I have trouble thinking beyond the Eiffel Tower and Madeline. So, tell us about your family. Do they go to school over there?

Our youngest two, Aidan (10) and Julia (7) attend a French public school.

Do they speak French in school?

Yes, they speak very good French now, but you can imagine how terrible it was for them when they first moved to France, not speaking a lick of French. They correct my pronunciation all the time! Our eldest, Sophie (13), goes to an International school that we THOUGHT would be in English. Turns out, that wasn’t true. Most of her classes are in French. She speaks very well too.

That’s amazing. They’re getting such a unique experience. Well, I’m sorry, but we Mom 2 Mom readers have to head back home now — I think my thoughts will be drifting to the French Riviera all day. You have a beautiful family, Mary. Au revoir!

Au revoir!

We’ll be joining Mary DeMuth again on Thursday to hear all about her new books. Not one, not two, but three! She’s been busy — writing a devotional, a parenting book, and a novel (the first in a series.) She’ll give us the scoop on how she manages her dual roles as mom and author. Meanwhile, you can hang out with her in the blogosphere at her Relevant Blog. C’est magnifique!

Have you seen Curious George yet? We’ve read the books for years — they’re always adorable. So of course we wanted to see the movie, especially since Ron Howard co-produced it.

But still — a cartoon? I thought I might just sit and relax while my kids smacked popcorn. Two hours of bliss without having to think. Maybe even a guilt-free snooze.

Well, I was wrong. I really got into this movie. It’s wonderful!

Our theater was jam-packed with parents and grandparents taking their kids — just like the Narnia theater. We’ve all paid top dollar to see a G-rated movie.

What’s surprising is how much the plot captivated me. I identified with The Man in the Yellow Hat. He liked things just the way they were (boring), but they couldn’t stay that way forever. The museum where he worked was about to go under financially, and he was sent on an exedition to Africa to find something spectacular. Yet he didn’t find what he was looking for.

Instead, he found George.

One thing after another seems to take a turn for the worse in this man’s life. Disappointments. Messes to clean up. Every parent watching this movie knows who Curious George represents (they’re probably having to slip out of the theater to take him to the bathroom or clean up his popcorn that got spilled.)

But what happens is an adventure. Pure delight! Curious George and his silly antics get the man going places he never intended … but he’s not alone anymore. He’s no longer living for himself — he’s become a parent.

My husband and I always enjoy watching the “transformation” that takes place when someone we know becomes a new parent. Suddenly, their time is no longer their own — they look tired, frazzled even. The mom’s carrying a diaper bag instead of a designer purse. The dad’s become an expert at bouncing a baby and singing lullabies. They’re running a few minutes late … and understanding what it’s like to live in “baby time.”

Life is an adventure with children — they keep you busy cleaning up after them, and you go places you didn’t expect — but you begin to see the world through their eyes. You become a child all over again. This is what it was like to watch The Man in the Yellow Hat learn to bring George into his world.

I hope theaters were packed around the country, and Hollywood will make us more movies that we can take our kids to see — wholeheartedly — no crude jokes, no squeamish scenes. The music was aimed for my generation, and the voices of Will Ferrell and Drew Barrymore made me feel like it was a “grown-up” movie.

I recently learned about the author/illustrator Rey’s story of escape during World War II. I read this in The Writing Life:

In 1940, the German Nazi army was marching toward Paris, France and people were fleeing with the clothes on their back. Two unknown Jewish artists gathered a few belongings and got on bicycles to flee away from the German Army. Among their limited possessions, Hans and Margaret Rey carried their unpublished watercolor drawings. Eventually these drawings became the first Curious George book. Today more than 30 million Curious George books have been sold worldwide.

A little monkey — riding on a bicycle — escaping the terrors of war. Something unplanned, unexpected, a detour … I think I’ve got to learn more about the Reys. How did they get the idea for a monkey named George? What were their childhoods like? How did this dream take off? This story fascinates me … I’m curious.

I know the movie will give a big boost to book sales for Houghton Mifflin — everybody’s going to fall in love with this little monkey.

My table is empty … and I’m ready for a feast! A buffet of beautiful food writing. Recipes. Delicious ideas.

If you’ve never entered the Carnival before, this is your week! It’s sponsored by Sallie of Two Talent Living, but I’m the hostess for this week’s topic of Comfort Food.

Don’t be bashful. Remember the post I wrote about food writing? You can do this. I especially want your recipes if you don’t live in the U.S. Let’s make this an international potluck!

If you have a blog, post your recipe today or tomorrow, then send me the link in an email by 3 pm on Valentine’s Day, including a brief one- or two-sentence description. If you don’t have a blog, just email me your recipe, and I’ll post it with mine.
heatherivester at bellsouth dot net.

Let’s have a feast of great food and great writing!

A novel? It’s about time. I don’t read much fiction, but I’m glad I discovered this one. If you love getting carried away in a good story, this novel is way too much fun. It’s ideal for a breezy weekend read.

The Potluck Club is co-authored by Eva Marie Everson and Linda Evans Shepherd, two ladies who keep my inbox brimming. Eva Marie sends me her newest articles on Crosswalk, and Linda sends me recipes. When I heard Eva Marie speak at a conference, I just had to get a signed copy of her book.

“How do two people write a novel together?” I asked her. “We each wrote three characters,” she whispered. “But it’s a secret which ones.”

What is the Potluck Club? It’s a tight-knit group of six friends who get together to share a home-cooked meal, spicing things up with the latest gossip prayer requests. These ladies find plenty to talk about in their small town nestled in the scenic Colorado mountains.

What I enjoyed most about this book is that the women are real. They’re funny and flawed, but have a heart for growing in their faith. As the plot unfolds, we enter into their joys and heartaches, frowning at the naughty and smiling at the nice. I laughed and cried — now, I’m hooked and can’t wait to read the sequel.

It’s about time Christian publishers gave us something to read that rivals best-selling chick-lit that won’t make us blush! This is a novel you wouldn’t mind your teen daughter or your grandmother picking up after you — pass it on. Forget the trashy romances — here’s a piece that’s good for your mind and soul.

If you’re looking for something fun and poignant to discuss at your next book club meeting, this book is the perfect accompaniment to the staples of food and laughter. Since all the recipes are included at the back of the book, why not try some out? Are Lisa Leann’s oven-barbecued brisket and cinnamon rolls really ALL THAT? Make them and see. Vonnie’s Mexican tamales will always remind you of that sad secret in her past. And Mother Dippel’s chocolate cake looks delicious — just watch out for hungry black bears!

As you can see in this author picture, the Colorado mountains make a gorgeous backdrop for a novel. And since I don’t live anywhere near mountains like that, it made me relish the story even more. I felt like I was on a little adventure — all the while I was curled up reading this book. It really inspired me! I won’t be surprised at all if The Potluck Club gets made into a movie — it’s one I’ll enjoy taking my daughters to see.

Speaking of Potluck Clubs, don’t forget to go through your recipe files this weekend and tell me about your favorite “Comfort Food.” I’m hosting the Carnival of Beauty here next Wednesday, and I need YOUR potluck dish. Click here for details. All you have to do is post the recipe in your blog by 3 pm on Tuesday, then email me the link. And you can be in our Carnival! Even if you don’t have a blog, email me your recipe, and I’ll post it with mine. Let’s break out of our winter doldrums and dish up something tasty.

Good books. Good food. Bon Appetit!

If you’ve been reading FlyLady’s emails for a while, you know the #1 thing she focuses on is teaching you how to FLY, which stands for “Finally Loving Yourself.” I was a little skeptical of this at first — I’m not a big fan of self-help philosophies that take away from the work of Jesus — but that’s not what she’s trying to do.

Actually, it’s not FlyLady herself that expresses what FLY’ing means — it’s the wonderful testimonials I read every week from people who write to her. Do you read those? She said she gets thousands of emails a day. Wow — she’s definitely found her calling.

FLY’ing in my case this week has meant to accept the fact that I can’t do it all — and that’s OK. I’ll do what I can and ask Christ to give me a spirit of love and joy in my home — without comparing myself to others.

So … I’ll go ahead and tell you that we’ve BOUGHT our Valentines this year. Yes! We spent less than two minutes picking out three different mass-produced kinds: Narnia, Star Wars, and Puppies/Kittens. We bought strawberry cream chocolate kisses (who invented those?), and I’ve given the kids scotch tape and stickers. They’ve done all their Valentine-making on their own this year. And had a great time!

This was not the case a few years ago. I was involved in a group that had the world’s most humongous Valentine’s party, and only the slacker moms bought Valentines. I say that tongue-in-cheek of course — but I’m telling you, these ladies did some magnificent things with googly eyes, foam cut-outs, and pipe cleaners. I always thought that one day I would invent the most creative, amazing Valentine ever — using googly eyes of course.

But not this year. Not if I want to balance things I do for my kids with some things just for me — which this week included interviewing an author in France and becoming a mini-expert on a state park.

So, as you move through your weekend preparing for Valentine’s Day, remember that God loves you for who you are. He made you perfect in His image, and He’s given you talents that nobody else has. Ask Him to reveal what His calling is for you … and then look in the mirror and love the person who looks back at you.

P.S. If you’re heading to the movies this weekend, Lisa Rice has a cute review in Crosswalk, On Adorable Scale, “Curious George” is a 10.

Iris passed this along to me — some bloggers participate in something called “Thankful Thursday.” I’m not really sure how it all works — I think you write some things you’re thankful for on Thursday, and you send the link to somebody’s blog, and there’s a blogroll for that.

If you’re interested, check out the link from the graphic. It’s nice to know things like this are going on in the world…being thankful and sharing it with others…

I don’t know if I’ll be able to formally participate, but I’ll say I’m thankful this week that I paid our bills yesterday, our kids are healthy, and I’ve got some interesting plans with my sister this weekend. Also, I really liked that “Remembering” meme I posted on Monday — it’s reminded me how much I enjoy teaching.

A Mom 2 Mom reader sent me a question that I didn’t know how to answer. So I found an expert, Brenda Nixon, who’s written a book on how to deal with behavior in young children.

Question:

I’d really love to get your opinion about a situation we have with our 3- year old, if you wouldn’t mind. He is ALL BOY! I know that little boys have an aggressive energy about them by nature and they are more physical in their interaction, etc. However, I am having a hard time channeling his energy for the good and not getting frustrated with him. He is just being really aggressive with the other kids in his preschool class and with me at home. He is pushing, pinching, talking back to me, and his favorite is to just run into someone with the full force of his whole body. When I got pregnant with him I felt the Lord give me a specific word for him: “strong”. That has been true in every aspect of his personality since day one. I want him to keep his wonderful strength of heart and mind and body but I am running out of ideas as to how to help him have an obedient spirit. My family has anger issues in our past and I already see that coming out in him a little bit. I am just trying to get as much advice as I can so I don’t show him anger when administering discipline. I would love to know if you have any suggestions.

Here’s what Brenda says:

Often, 3-year olds are becoming more independent and have lots of energy. You are right in wanting to channel this to be expressed in positive, appropriate ways. If he is a first-born he’s probably a perfectionist and strong leader. Many of our U.S. presidents were first-born children.

To help your son, always make sure you’re a good role model. When you are excited or frustrated, keep calm. During discipline times, stay matter-of-fact and don’t scream at him. Remember, your son is watching YOU — his most influential teacher. You might say things like, “I feel frustrated. I’m going to exercise or take a bath.” This teaches your son two things: everyone has powerful emotions, and there are appropriate ways to exhaust them.

It’s admirable you want him to keep his strength of heart and mind and body, but being his first and most influential teacher, you must also teach him to respect others. Pushing, pinching, talking back, and running full force into someone in preschool might cause physical and mental anguish to the others so it cannot be tolerated. Talk with his teacher to come up with a mutual plan on how to end this aggression. He needs to learn appropriate ways to channel his feelings. Preschoolers need patience and persistent, calm correction.

At home, help his language development by reading lots of books. When children learn to use words they will express themselves with words rather than actions, like running into people. Check out books from your local library and make some of them on feelings. Kids love to be read to, so read a book to your son during neutral, non-aggressive, times when he’ll be more receptive to the lesson you’re trying to teach. All feelings come from God. There’s nothing wrong with feelings – only how we use them.

Since you say your family has anger issues in your past, then I might also suggest you see a family counselor for other behavior management techniques.

Brenda Nixon is a parenting speaker, columnist, and author of Parenting Power in the Early Years and Writers Who Speak.

Wow — I think no matter what age our children are, she’s given us some great ideas. Thanks for stopping in, Brenda!

I found this on Bethany’s site and tried putting my blog title in, but it wouldn’t all fit on my screen. I also had to spell out the “2.” My total points are 30. How about yours?

Pholph’s Scrabble Generator My Scrabble© Score is: 7. What is your score? Get it here.

Pholph’s Scrabble Generator My Scrabble© Score is: 2. What is your score? Get it here.

Pholph’s Scrabble Generator My Scrabble© Score is: 7. What is your score? Get it here.

Pholph’s Scrabble Generator My Scrabble© Score is: 14. What is your score? Get it here.