Ro*tel Tomatoes - Chicken Spaghetti and Ro*tel Dip

My sweet and hilariously funny blogging buddy, Mub, asked about Ro*tel tomatoes in the comment section under Cornbread Tomatoes. I thought I'd answer her question in a post, since some others might not be familiar with Ro*tel Tomatoes.

Hey, Mub!

Ro*tel Tomates are just canned stewed tomatoes that have been kicked-up with some green chillies. If you can't get Ro*tel tomatoes in the Netherlands, just throw in some canned green chillies or chopped jalapeno peppers with a can of stewed tomatoes.
I'm not sure about the rest of the country (USA), but in the South, we do love us some Ro*tel tomatoes. We actually just call it Ro*tel. As in - "I added a can of Ro*tel, and it was just what that recipe needed!" I doubt there's hardly a pantry in my town without at least one can of Ro*tel. Most of us don't like to cut it that close though, so we keep several cans on hand. We put it in dips, stews, casseroles - whatever we're cookin' that we think needs a little kick! We particularly love to pair Ro*tel tomatoes with Kraft's Velveeta cheese product. Note the word - product. I honestly don't know all the ingredients in a loaf (yes, loaf!) of Velveeta, I just know it melts like a dream! Two universal (well, at least below the Mason-Dixon Line), all-time favorite uses for Ro*tel tomatoes and Velveeta are Chicken Spaghetti and Ro*tel Dip.
Chicken Spaghetti is one of those dishes that folks will almost argue over. We all have our favorite version, and no one's is as good as our own momma's. So, here is the basic version of Chicken Spaghetti. It's the one most new cooks start out with. Over the years, as our cooking skills increase, we start to fool around with the recipe and really make the dish ours. I have my own version that I just may have to make really soon, since writing this has done thrown a hankerin' on me!

Basic Chicken Spaghetti

Recipes like this account for most of those extra pounds we carry around in our beloved South!

2 pounds chicken breasts
1 large package spaghetti noodles
1 can Ro*tel tomatoes with chilies
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1 small loaf (1-pound) Velveeta cheese, diced
1 small onion and 1 green pepper, chopped and sautéed with a stick of butter
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9x13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray.
Boil chicken and de-bone.
In the same water, boil spaghetti and drain.
Mix all ingredients together, except cheddar cheese.
Bake until hot and bubbly, about 30 minutes.
Garnish with cheddar cheese and serve.

Ro*tel Dip

Here’s the bona fide recipe for what we simply call - Ro*tel, the official dip of the South. I wish I had a nickel for every time I’ve been asked - “Hon, why don’t cha make us a little bowl of Ro*tel?” Any cook down here who can’t pull this dish together on a moment’s notice isn’t considered to be worth their salt! Kids of all ages love this stuff! It’s gotten many a mom through many a teenage party! As long as you can keep the Ro*tel comin’, you’re in good shape!
If you want to “get fancy with it,” throw in a pound of browned, drained hamburger meat or pork sausage. And please don't limit this dish to dip status alone. It makes a wonderful sauce! Pour this stuff over some baked potatoes or French fries, and your family and friends will love you forever!
For those of you who live locally, Oby's has the best waffle fries with Ro*tel! Dude, my father-in-law, loves these! There's an Oby's in Oxford and Starkville, the two closest college towns. It's my theory that it's the waffle fries with Ro*tel that keeps the college kids rollin' in Oby's doors!

Ro*tel® Famous Queso Dip

(NOTE: I’ve never seen this served with vegetables! I honestly think you'd get laughed out of town!)

Prep Time: 5 min.
Total Time: 10 min.

1 lb. (16 oz.) Velveeta Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product, cut into ½” cubes
1 can (10oz.) of RO*TEL Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies, undrained

MIX a 10oz. can of RO*TEL with a 16oz. package of Velveeta Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product cut into ½” cubes.

HEAT Microwave on HIGH for 5 minutes. Stir after 3 minutes.

EAT Stir and serve with tortilla chips or assorted cut-up vegetables.

Makes 3 cups or 24 servings, 2 Tbsp. each

More great recipes at Tuesdays at the Table!

Busy, Fun Weekend and Restaurant Review: Emileigh's Table

We had a full, but fun, week-end, with two wedding receptions, a trip to Oxford, a visit from my dad and a late Sunday lunch with Dude and Aunt Jean. All events included some really good eats!!

Both wedding receptions were lovely! With the growing trend of destination weddings, these receptions are becoming a regular event in our area and, I assume, across the country. Great food was served at both! Best wishes and many blessings to both of these sweet couples!!

Emileigh's Table

Our Plate Lunches

Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie
(We momentarily dug in before remembering to snap a picture!)

Saturday, I had an errand I needed to do in Oxford. Larry and I decided to make a little morning trip of it! We drove out to the Plein Air community in Taylor, located about 8 miles outside Oxford, and ate a plate lunch at Emileigh’s Table . Everything was absolutely delicious and came served on their fun, eclectic collection of dinner plates. I had the shrimp and grits, green beans and succotash. Larry had the fried chicken, the mac and cheese, and fried okra. We were given the choice of corn muffins or cheesy garlic biscuits with a sweet butter glaze. We both chose the biscuits, which were perfect! We decided to end the meal by sharing a piece of chocolate chip pecan pie! It was very good, too!

Plein Air Farmers' Market
8 a.m. - Noon
June - October

Tin Pan Alley Antiques

We were a little late for the Farmer’s Market, which was taking place right next to the restaurant. It closed at noon, and most of the vendors were beginning to dismantle when we arrived. There was a nice variety of food and wares available, with vendors offering such things as homemade breads (strawberry, sourdough, and several other varieties) jams/jellies, relishes, pickled produce, fresh seafood and cream cheese stuffed chocolate dipped strawberries. There was also a nice blue grass band performing. Next time, we’re going a bit earlier, having breakfast and spending a little more time at the market, which is open 8:00 a.m. - noon on Saturdays from June through October. We really enjoyed a leisurely stroll through the Tin Pan Alley Antiques store, which contains lots of interesting old items and works of art. It is located next door to Emileigh’s Table.

Plein Air is a planned community, with a dozen, or so, beautiful homes, including the 2008 Southern Living Idea House, in a peaceful country setting. According to About.com, plein air is a term derived from the French phrase en plein air, which literally means 'in the open air'. The phrase also refers to a style of painting. It's a familiar concept today, but in the late 1800s when the Impressionists ventured out of their studios into nature to investigate and capture the effects of sunlight and different times of days on a subject, it was quite revolutionary. Plein Art seems a very fitting name for this neighborhood, which is strong on the arts and is located in such a tranquil area. The idea of leaving behind our fast-paced, but convenience-filled lives, to move this distance into the countryside is somewhat revolutionary for these times, as well. One of the available homes was holding an open house yesterday. Larry and I really enjoyed taking a quick tour. Very pretty!

This was a very fun morning! It you live in the area, or are passing through Oxford, be sure to take a drive out to Taylor and the Plein Air community!

The Market Basket

Pumpkins!

On our way back into Pontotoc, we stopped at The Market Basket and bought a couple of pumpkins. This is an annual tradition for us, with the kids usually taking part. Neither of them were terribly interested in doing this, this year, though, so Larry and I stopped and chose a couple of these beautiful fruits for our front porch. The kids did both say they looked pretty once we had the porch swept and the pumpkins placed beside the door!

According to Wikipedia, the word pumpkin originates from the word pepon, which is Greek for “large melon". The French adapted this word to pompon, which the British changed to pumpion and later American colonists changed that to the word we use today, “pumpkin." The origin of pumpkins is not definitively known, although they are thought to have originated in North America. The oldest evidence, pumpkin-related seeds dating between 7000 and 5500 B.C., were found in Mexico. Pumpkins are a squash-like fruit that range in size from less than 1 pound to over 1,000 pounds!

My dad came up early this morning and brought us breakfast from Hardee’s. He does this several times throughout the year, and it’s always a treat! My kids think Hardee’s Sausage Gravy and Biscuits are "the bomb!" They are pretty good!! It’s so nice for all of us to get to visit with my dad, for a while, too!

We had a late lunch with Dude and Aunt Jean today at Cracker Barrel. As usual, everything was yummy and the fellowship was sweet!

I made a new breakfast casserole for Sunday School. I’ve posted it below!

Friday Freebies and Fun

Here are a couple of freebie cookbooks:

Copy Cat Recipes 50 page PDF cookbook
This has recipes for everything from Cracker Barrel’s Hashbrown Casserole to Outback’s Bloomin’ Onion to Houston’s Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Kids in the Kitchen PDF cookbook from Wisconsin Milk Board
Great recipes with cheese! You can also request a copy by mail!

Friday Funny

Read Roan’s funny take on grocery shopping. I believe we can all identify and agree with her observations!

Susan sent me this a few weeks back. I thought it was worth sharing. It's good to be reminded occasionally of the great spiritual benefits of corporate worship.

I know I need to hear what God has to say to me through my pastor, and I need the fellowship and encouragement of fellow believers. God has designed group worship to nourishes our souls in a very unique way.

Hebrews 10:24-25

We should keep on encouraging each other to be thoughtful and to do helpful things.Some people have gotten out of the habit of meeting for worship, but we must not do that. We should keep on encouraging each other, especially since you know that the day of the Lord's coming is getting closer.

Psalm 150:1

Praise the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens.

Why Go To Church?

A Church goer wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday.

I've gone for 30 years now,' he wrote, 'and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 sermons. But for the life of me, I can't remember a single one of them. So, I think I'm wasting my time and the pastors are wasting theirs by giving sermons at all.'

This started a real controversy in the 'Letters to the Editor'

column, much to the delight of the editor. It went on for weeks until

someone wrote this clincher:

I've been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals. But, for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals. But I do know this.. They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today.

Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!'

Have a wonderful week!!!

Pinto Beans, Tomato Relish & Jam

Completely dried up,
They've become beans.
- Santoka Taneda, 1882-1940
Mountain Tasting, Translated by John Stevens

I laughingly tell Larry that I am the cheapest date of all times! Take me to Cracker Barrel,
give me the Pot 'O Beans and a plate of Cracker Barrel's ever-so-yummy corn muffins and for less than 5 bucks, I’m happy!

Ritz crackers topped with whipped cream cheese
and a dab of Judy's Tomato Jam

Pinto Beans, cornbread and Tonya's Tomato Relish
(Yesterday, Aunt Jean brought me these tasty pinto beans she had cooked in her crock pot!)

If you’ve never tried tomato jam or relish, you really must! I was fortunate recipient of a jar of each this summer. Tonya brought me a jar of tomato relish, and Judy shared a jar of her tomato jam. Tonya’s relish is yummy with peas and pinto beans! I got hooked on doing this at Cracker Barrel, as they serve their pintos with a bit of green relish. I love to top cream cheese with Judy’s Tomato Jam and spread this on crackers. Both are excellent!! Maybe Tonya and Judy will share their recipes!!

Watermelons!!!

“When one has tasted watermelon,
he knows what the angels eat.”
~ Mark Twain

Look what I found on our front porch yesterday afternoon!! Five watermelons!! I know it looks like four, but I already had one of these beauties snatched up and chillin' in the fridge before I thought to make the picture!

Finding the watermelons was such a nice surprise!! We got another one when we cut into one of them and found that it was yellow!! Oh my, oh my!! For those of you who aren't watermelon connoisseurs, this might not mean much to you, but for those of you who love watermelon like we do, I don't have to tell you what a delightful discovery this was!

Wikipedia says this about the yellow version of this fruit:

"Yellow Crimson Watermelon: variety of watermelon that has a yellow colored flesh. This particular type of watermelon has been described as "sweeter" and more "honey" flavored than the more popular red flesh watermelon."

They even have a photo labeled - "Watermelon with yellow flesh." Around here, we refer to them as being "yellow-meated."

Yellow-meated watermelon

Watermelon Wedge

Cubed watermelon, from which Larry removed the seeds for all of us
(I've told y'all he's a real keeper!)

I do love the way God works! Saturday morning, while we were taking a little walk downtown, we spied some of the local farmers selling veggies on the square. Larry remarked how he wished we had a watermelon. No one was selling watermelons though - just peas and tomatoes. Then on Monday, five melons turned up at our house out of the blue!! I just love it!!

It took us just a bit to figure out who blessed us with these delectable fruits. We're pretty sure we've got it figured out, but it's still unconfirmed! For now, I'll just say - "Many thanks!" to whomever blessed us in the sweet and generous way! We truly appreciate it and are really enjoying the watermelons!

Watermelon Info:

Watermelon refers to both fruit and plant of a vine-like herb originally from southern Africa and one of the most common types of melon. This flowering plant produces a special type of fruit known by botanists as a pepo, a berry, which has a thick and fleshy center; pepos are derived from an inferior ovary and are characteristic of the Cucurbitaceae. As a member of the Cucurbitaceae family, the watermelon is related to the cantaloupe, squash and pumpkin, other plants that also grow on vines on the ground.

Watermelons can be round, oblong or spherical in shape and feature thick green rinds that are often spotted or striped. Inside this smooth, thick exterior resides a juicy, sweet interior flesh, usually red, but sometimes orange, yellow, or pink. They range in size from a few pounds to upward of ninety pounds.

Although watermelons can now be found in the markets throughout the year, the season for watermelon is in the summer when they are sweet and of the best quality. Personally, we like ours served ice cold!!!

Watermelon is not only great on a hot summer day, this delectable thirst-quencher may also help quench the inflammation that contributes to conditions like asthma, atherosclerosis, diabetes, colon cancer, and arthritis. It is a concentrated source of antioxidants, vitamins and is extremely low in calories, making it an excellent food choice for most diets.

Click HERE for great teaching resources from the National Watermelon Promotion Board

Watermelon info obtained from: Wikipedia and The World’s Healthiest Foods

My "Bless Your Heart" Dish - Chicken Spectacular

“Neighbors bring food with death and flowers with sickness
and little things in between.”
~ Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird

If you got a chance to listen to Jeanne Robertson's funny tale about her 7-Up Pound Cake, you heard her say that this cake is her traditional dish to carry to those in need. Most ladies down South have a particular "cradle-to-the-grave/bless your heart" dish that we take to our neighbors, friends, and relations to help them to celebrate the birth of a new baby, to recover from an illness, or to comfort them at times of loss.

When you go into a home to deliver your food offering, you can almost always tell what other neighbors and friends have been there before you, just by glancing at the dining room table. It will be laden with familiar bowls and casserole dishes, filled with each community member's specialty.

If you are new in town, be sure to come up with your own unique dish to carry on such occasions. There are two things a newbie must establish from the "get-go" in order to successfully acclimate into any given Southern town's society: which church pew can safely be set on without uprooting another family, who's had a claim staked on that seat since before the 1950's, and what dish isn't already being cooked and delivered to the needy on a regular basis.

Here's mine. Over the past few months, I've literally carried this dish to those joyously celebrating the arrival a brand new baby, to those recovering from surgery, and to family members grieving the loss of a dear loved one. I try to keep the ingredients on hand for at least two of these casseroles at all times. Because I keep chicken cooked and in the freezer, I can have this dish put together and ready to deliver in about an hour, including cooking time. Add a simple green salad and loaf of garlic bread for a complete meal!

Most folks really seem to like this casserole, and I am almost always asked for the recipe. There is one exception, a sweet little friend named Levi. I shared this recipe with his mother. The rest of Levi's family love this dish. Levi hates it! He's even given the dish my name! When he comes to the table and sees this casserole, he groans loudly and says, "Oh, no! It's Chicken Connie Casserole!!"

I have tried to redeem myself in his eyes by sending his mom other recipes I think he will like much better, but I am still afraid that I will forever be associated with a yucky chicken and green bean casserole in Levi's mind!


Chicken Spectacular

This casserole is hearty and very versitle, too. I've listed options below.

3 cups cooked, diced chicken
1 package Uncle Ben's Wild and White Rice, cooked according to package directions (Make rice extra savory by substituting chicken broth for the water)
1 can cream soup (can be chicken, mushroom, celery or onion)
1 med. size jar sliced pimiento(optional - adds pretty color especially at Christmas)
1 can French-style green beans, drained(optional - if your kids hate green beans!)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1 can sliced water chestnuts, drained
1 - 2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all ingredients together then pour into a 3-quart baking dish that's been coated with cooking spray.

Bake about 25 to 30 minutes. Spread grated cheese over top, and return to oven long enough to melt cheese.

Options:

You can also make this using 1 pound of browned sausage instead of chicken. When I use sausage, I leave out the green beans.

For a great side dish, just leave out the meat!

One if the best thing about this casserole is that it is so easy to double the recipe. In the same amount of time it takes to make one, you can make two! When I make this for a friend, we almost always have it for our supper, too. This frees me up to deliver the dish and visit for a few minutes. Our supper is already done and waiting when I get home!

Sausage and Rice Casserole

Brother Ken continued with the message series on Waiting on God. The focus verse was:

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Isaiah 40:31

What a beautiful promise from the Lord!

This verse fits in well with a quotation I heard on the radio one morning this week while I was walking. The quote was attributed to Charles Spurgeon. However, a check of the web didn't turned up verification of this. So, I can't say for sure who said this or the context in which it was said. But, I do love the quote and find it to be full of truth.

"Seek preparedness, not opportunity."

This can have several interpretations, I suppose. I often encourage my kids, especially Logan at his age, not to worry so much seeking opportunity (as in the spot light or fortune), but instead, to constantly seek to prepare himself - spiritually and educationally - for God's purposes.

High-profile positions are almost never as good as they are promoted to be and most often lead us to focus on the glorification of self. I firmly believe that if we prepare ourselves, the Lord God will send us great opportunities to serve in ways that will honor and glorify Him.

Of course, what I "preach" to my kids often times comes home to roost on my own porch. At these times, I must be willing to take my own advice! I don't know how many times I've said things like - "I am hoping to get the opportunity (as in chance) to go visit her soon," or "I am going to fix them some food, just as soon as I get the opportunity." Please tell me I'm not the only one guilty of this!

The truth is, the Lord constantly provides me with opportunities to minister through my kitchen. The problem is, I am often not prepared to do so. In an effort to over come this, I have tried to accumulate a few recipes for which I can easily keep the ingredients on hand. I have found that I am much more likely to follow through with the Lord's leading if I have prepared for the opportunity. I believe that preparedness to seize God-given opportunities is the key to living out God's plan for our lives to the fullest measure.

This week, I am going to share a couple of my and my friend, Donna S.'s, "go to" recipes. If you have recipes that you use in this way, we'd love for you to share them. Post them, or a link to them, in the comment section below. You may also email them to me at:

mealplanwithconnie@att.net


For Sunday school this morning, I made Sausage and Rice Casserole. Donna gave me the recipe a few weeks back. It is similar in many ways to what I call my "Cradle-to-the-Grave" Casserole. I'll be sharing it a little later this week.

Donna found this recipe in our largest local newspaper, The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal. It was shared by their food editor, Ginna Parsons. I love that this is a recipe Ginna shared with her church family at All Saints' Episcopal Church in Tupelo! This church is located next door to the Lee-Itawamba County Library. I am always touched by the sign in their churchyard inviting those in need to a breakfast served there at the church by volunteers. This ongoing ministry is called All Saints' Brew. What a lovely way to served the Lord!

Donna, thank you for sharing the recipe!! We surely enjoyed it!!

I think this casserole would work well for supper,too, especially in the winter! The ingredients are easy to keep on hand, making this a great spur-of-the-moment, "go to" recipe. I believe you'll receive many complements and requests for this recipe from those you share this with!

Sausage and Rice Casserole

Ginna Parson's article states that her church family group served this casserole with a blueberry crisp and fresh fruit.

Sausage and Rice Casserole


1 bell pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped

1/2 stick butter

11/2 pounds sausage, cooked and drained*

1 box Uncle Ben’s Long Grain Wild Rice, original flavor

1 can cream of celery soup

1 can cream of mushroom soup

2 soup cans water

1 small can mushrooms, drained**

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese***

Sauté bell pepper and onion in butter. Drain well. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour mixture into a greased 9x13-inch baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Check rice for doneness and cook a half hour more, if needed.

For convenience and the ability to put this dish together quickly:

Keep enough of all the ingredients in your pantry to make two of these. Everything except the veggies keeps well in a pantry.

To have the veggies readily on hand, keep a bag of frozen chopped onions and peppers in your freezer. You can purchase these or make your own. If you have onions and peppers that are going to ruin before you can use them, chopped them, spread them on a cookie sheet, stick them in the freezer until they are frozen, spoon the frozen veggies into a Ziploc, and return to the freezer. These are so handy for when you're in a hurry or out of these fresh vegetables.

Another option is to use a large jar of pimentos in place of the peppers, and some onion powder or dried onions as a substitute for the chopped onions.

"I feel a recipe is only a theme, which an intelligent cook can play each time with a variation."
~ Madame Benoit

I only made a few small changes to this recipe:

*I used two pounds of sausage. Be sure to read Ginna's funny tale about this aspect of the recipe

**I used a 2 cups container of fresh sliced mushrooms. I sauteed them with the butter, onions and peppers

***I stirred the one cup of cheese into the casserole and baked it as directed. Then I took it out of the oven and topped with additional cheese and returned it to the oven long enough to melt the cheese.

I ran into my long-time friends, Randy and Belinda Y. and "the Twins", (I love those boys!) yesterday afternoon. They told me about of few of our recipes that they had tried. Belinda shared some of the changes and adjustments she had made. I love this!! Belinda is a great cook!! She gave me some new ideas for some of my old favorite recipes!! I encourage you all to play around with recipes. I rarely make any recipe exactly as it is given to me! Make recipes work for your family's taste!! Let me know of any changes/adjustment you make to our recipes!! I'd love to give them a try your way!!

Many blessings and happy cookin' ~ Connie

Another Successful Bodock Festival!!!

Bodock Food Court

Food-on-a-stick and funnel cake booth

Fried pancake-like batter channeled into a vat of hot oil, deep fried and sprinkled with confectioner's sugar -
commonly known around these parts as a Funnel Cake

Many thanks to Wayne Carter for great meals the last two Saturdays. Last Saturday, I ate some of Wayne and Barbara's delicious cooking, and tonight Larry and I enjoyed preparing one of Wayne's favorite suppers that he so graciously provided the recipes for!

Our town’s annual gala is the Bodock Festival. In case you're wondering about the festival’s name, it hails from a tree, more officially know as a bois d’arc. You can visit Dictionary.com for a definition, description and auditory pronunciation. I’m assuming it’s of French origin, and that the name was probably given during the years of the South's early exploration. Of course, over the years we’ve managed to corrupt its pronunciation by leaving out a sound or two. To borrow, and slightly amend, a phrase fellow Mississippian Jimmy Buffet coined, “we can't pronounce our r's or g's when we’re speakin' Southernese.” So, we call these trees, and the large apple-green fruit they produce, Bodocks. Another slang name for the inedible fruit is Horse Apple.

When the festival began, Pontotoc boasted the oldest, and I’m thinking largest, Bodock tree in the state, providing the perfect name for our festival. Unfortunately, in 2001 a tornado destroyed this historic tree, and for the past several years, we've been without our festival's claim to fame. It was with much relief, and probabaly a good deal of searching on our city’s part, that Pontotoc was once again crowned Bodock Tree State Champ a few weeks ago - and just in time for the festival! Thankfully, another bodock tree in our great city was located that re-took the title and brought the distinction back home where it belongs!

One of the most distinguishing factors of our festival is the heat. We’ve even dubbed a little phrase around here to let folks know just how hot any day is by declaring it “Bodock hot.” But the heat has truly become as much a part of the festival as the kiddie rides, the Bodock Post Throwing Competition, the courthouse step singing, the 5K run and the vendors selling their vast variety of wares. Among the sellers, of course, are the food booths, where you can get anything from a corn dog to chicken-on-a-stick. M.C.’s favorite is the funnel cakes, and Logan is big on the Cherry Lemonade.

Wayne with his Elvis B-day Cake and Tables Laden with Fish Fry Favorites

This year we had the pleasure of attending a Bodock Party/Birthday Bash at Felecia’s house, which is located right in the middle of all the festival action and is a perfect place for a Bodock Get-together! We are very grateful to Wayne and Barbara for extending an invitation to our family. Unfortunately, Larry had to work, but the kids and I had a blast! I’ll just say those folks know how to throw a good ole summertime Southern fish fry. They served fried catfish, homemade hush puppies, French fries, cheese grits, Mardi Gras coleslaw, cheesecake and an Elvis birthday cake, in honor of Wayne’s birthday. Wayne has had to share his birthday with the anniversary of The King’s death since 1977, thus the commemorative Elvis cake! I love it!

We all heaped our plates full of these wonderful dishes, sat and rocked in Felecia’s vintage blue-green lawn chairs, and listened to Wayne and Barbara’s son, Jason, and his band sing and play the Blues, a soulful style of music born in the Mississippi Delta. Now, y’all, you know it just don’t get much better or much more Southern than that!

Before going down to Felecia’s, we had had the pleasure of listening to Wayne and Barbara’s daughter, Rayanne, and their granddaughter, Anna, sing on the courthouse steps. I have always been very fond of Rayanne. She and Leigh Ann were friends throughout their growing up years. It's hard to believe she was younger than M.C. when I first met her!

Rayanne and Anna are part of a newly-formed contemporary Christian band, Still Time. The band did a great job, and it was so nice to see a mother and daughter being able to praise the Lord and have fun together doing it! Best wishes to this band! I know the Lord will bless and use them!

If any of y’all are in our neck of the woods the third week-end in August of any year, be sure to drop by the Pontotoc Bodock Festival! A good time awaits all!!

Below, I'll post the recipes for Wayne's Boneless Chicken Tenders Dinner.

Addendum: Many thanks to Wayne for this link to an article he wrote on his and a couple of his friends' site, The Bodock Post. As you will read, Wayne knows much more about the Bodock than the average Pontotocian! Thanks for sharing this article, Wayne! I am always excited to learn something new!

http://rrnews.org/bp/tbp001.htm (For info on the Bodock tree, you can scroll past the introductory part, but I found the introduction, which includes the origins of the name of their site, very interesting.)

A Shout Out for Sarah

Cinnamon is a tree native to the region from India to China. Traders made it available in Israel very early in Bible history. Today, cinnamon is best-known as a baking ingredient. However, in ancient times, it was used either as a perfume or in oils. Cinnamon was one of the ingredients God commanded Moses to use in the making of the holy anointing oil.

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Take the following fine spices: 500 shekels of liquid myrrh, half as much (that is, 250 shekels) of fragrant cinnamon, 250 shekels of fragrant cane, 500 shekels of cassia—all according to the sanctuary shekel—and a hin of olive oil. Make these into a sacred anointing oil, a fragrant blend, the work of a perfumer. It will be the sacred anointing oil.”
Exodus 30:22-25


Chef Sarah

I just have to give a shout out to my buddy, Sarah!! Her Cinnamon Cake won first place at the county fair!! I am so proud of her!! She was invited to a local restaurant, Vainisi's, to demonstrate her cooking skills! Way to go, Sarah!!

I just love Sarah and her family! Every once in a while, God really blesses you by bringing someone truly special into your life! Sarah and her family have been that to us! They are just the sweetest little Christian family, serving the Lord, and others, with such kindness! I tell Heather all the time that she reminds me so much of Judy, and I tell Judy about how much she'd like Heather! They both are excellent seamstresses, knitters, cooks, and lovers of all things farm-oriented! They even both have "a Sarah"! How two such talented, creative, God-loving ladies ever chose to be friends with the likes of me, I'll never understand! But, I'm so glad they did!! I am still looking forward to the day I get to introduce them to each other!!

Again, Sweet Sarah, congratulations!! I am so, so proud of you, Darlin'!!

Teaching a child to cook is one of the most fun and rewarding experiences!! If you don't have a child of your own in your kitchen, borrow one and teach them to cook something! You'll both be blessed!!

(Thanks to Wayne Blank for cinnamon info!)

Food for Thought...

Commit your work to the LORD,
and your plans will be established.
The LORD has made everything for its purpose...
Proverbs 16:3-4a

We had a visiting preacher speak at church tonight. He brought a great message! He challenged us with this verse:

Acts 13:36 (New International Version)
"For when David had served God's purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his fathers and his body decayed."
The message centered on our serving God's purpose for the time He has given us. How do we serve God's purpose? What is our purpose? I agree with our speaker that our purpose is to glorify God. How do we glorify God? I believe Jesus gives us the answer in Matthew 22: 37-38 when He quotes from Deuteronomy:
Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'
When we follow these commands, I believe God will reveal his plans to each of us. For me, I firmly believe part of His plan for my life is to minister to my family and others through my kitchen. What is God's plan for you?

Necessity... the mother of invention. - Plato

Omit and substitute! That's how recipes should be written. Please don't ever get so hung up on published recipes that you forget that you can omit and substitute.
~ Jeff Smith, the Frugal Gourmet

Mr. Willie's Apples and Judy's Tomatoes and Beautiful Red Pepper

Although Larry and I were busy trying to accomplish some much need cleaning and clearing around the house and yard yesterday, I did manage to get in a bit of cooking, mainly because I had fresh produce that needed using. The problem was, I kept not having something I needed. Determined not to go to the grocery, I forged on, making omissions and substitutions as I went!

I had let Judy know at church the other day that I was out of tomatoes. For those of you who may be lifting an eyebrow and questioning my good Southern manners, she had told me to let her know if I wanted more, which makes my asking completely acceptable. (Is it any wonder Northerners have such a hard time learning all the nuances of the Southern culture?! Bless their hearts!) Let me say, that is a truly good friend who will share their first fresh tomatoes of the season with you. It is an even better friend who will share their coveted last tomatoes of the summer. Judy is the best of friends, as she has shared from her bounty from beginning to end! Thank you, Judy!!

Larry's Tomato and Bacon Sandwiches

I used this batch of Judy's tomatoes to make one of my all-time favorites - Homemade Tomato Soup! Larry isn't big on tomato soup, so I decide to make him one of his favorites, homegrown tomato and bacon sandwiches. I had everything ready when I realized we were out of "loaf" bread, known in other areas as "sandwich" bread. We had some left-over rolls from when Mitzi and girls came by on Sunday night. I thought - "why not give it a try?" Larry said they were very tasty with the lightly-salted tomatoes, a dab of mayo and a couple of pieces of fried bacon.

Besides the tomatoes, Dude had brought me some apples he had picked at Mr. Willie G.'s a few days ago. They are just right, a little bit tart and a little bit sweet - a perfect combination! I used the apples to make Apple Nut Bread. I used a recipe I found at Marvelous Recipes. I love that Emily encourages people of all ages to cook and experiment with their culinary skills!

I had made a batch of this yummy bread on Wednesday, using Emily's recipe as written. But, when I made it on Thursday, I had to make a few changes due to lack of ingredients. I'll post Emily's original recipe and my altered one, too.

For supper, I made the meal originally scheduled for Wednesday - Southwestern Skillet Chicken and Sister Schubert's Rolls. Because our week had been a bit hectic, I had not bought the boneless, skinless chicken breasts the recipe calls for. I substituted a bag of my pre-cooked, chopped chicken from the freezer. We all thought it worked well!

Along with Emily, I encourage you to branch out and try some new things with your recipes. You never know what great dish you may create!!

Below are posts for yesterday's cooking!

Many Blessings and Happy Cookin' ~ Connie

Men Can Minister with Food, too...

Tyler's "Thank You" Cookies

While we were in Destin, I received a call from my friend, Donna Mc., who had kindly escorted a group of recently-graduated Pontotoc students on a senior trip to the Emerald Coast a few days prior to our arrival there. One young man's suitcase was accidentally left behind. Donna called to see if we might could pick it up and bring it home to Pontotoc with us. We were delighted to do this. We are always having to ask others to come to our rescue for such things. It was nice to be able to be the "helpers" for once!

When Tyler and his mom came by our house to retrieve his duffel bag, they were very generous with their expressions of gratitude! It made us feel so good to have had the opportunity to help them out.

On Monday night, I heard a knock at the front door. When I opened it, there stood Tyler with a tin of homemade chocolate chip cookies, more "thank you's" and another hug. His parents should be very proud of having raised such a well-mannered young man! The cookies were very yummy!!

Now, I'll brag on my hubby a few minutes. Do y'all remember me sharing about Larry's lawnmower accident a couple of weeks back? While he thankfully received no broken bones in his fall, his eye glasses didn't fare nearly as well. They broke at one of the temples and could not be worn. It is fairly important that he be able to read well and correctly at work ;), and he was driving us down to Destin in a couple of days, too.

Our sweet friend, Sunday School teacher, and optometrist, Terry, came to Larry's rescue. In the middle of a busy Saturday afternoon, Terry left his family, came to his office, and made quick work of repairing Larry's broken glasses. For those of you who know Terry, you won't at all be surprised that he did all this. Wanting to do something to express his gratitude, Larry fixed hamburgers for Terry and his staff yesterday. He did almost all the work himself - from the shopping to the cooking! I did make a cake for him to carry. Unfortunately, it fell apart! I've made that cake 30 times with absolutely no problems, and the one time I need it to turn out well - it failed me!! I just dumped it on the plate anyway and sent a spoon instead of a knife to serve it with! :) I knew Terry and his crew wouldn't mind!

When Larry got home from Terry's, he cooked hamburgers for our family, too! They are always sooo good!! He also treated us to George's milkshakes last night for supper. For those who don't know, George's is a chicken and hamburger restaurant in New Albany. We love their milkshakes!! Needless to say, I didn't cook the pizza I had planned for last night!

Men can minister with food! I could tell from Tyler's smile, it made him happy to bring by a tangible expression of his family's gratitude. Larry really enjoyed cooking the hamburgers for Terry and his staff yesterday. He likes cooking them for me and the kids, too. His occasionally taking us by George's for a shake is a longstanding tradition. It's one of those little things I know our children will always remember their daddy doing for them.

Many Blessings and Happy Cookin' ~ Connie

Lambert's Restaurant and Country Fried Potatoes

On our way down to Destin, we decided to take a detour through Foley, AL and eat at Lambert's for old time's sake. When the kids were small, they loved going there and catching the rolls the waiters lop through the air from across the restaurant. We always came away stuffed on good Southern fare. On the way out, there was always a game of sidewalk checkers, and Dad had to take a photo or two (or three, or...) with all the different memorabilia that is in abundance both inside and outside this eating establishment.

It had been years since we’d eaten at Lambert's, and fortunately, we found nothing had changed! We ate our fill of meat loaf, fried chicken, ham and beans, and a wide variety of sides, including mash potatoes, baked sweet potatoes, turnip greens, slaw, black-eyed peas, fried okra, country fried potatoes, etc.!! The Lambert's waiters go from table to table with metal mixing bowls filled with side dishes they have dubbed “Pass Arounds”. One can literally eat until he is miserable at this place!
If you've never been to Lambert's, or if it's just been awhile, be sure to stop by on your next visit to the Gulf Coast. There are two locations in Missouri, as well. This is a fun place, serving hearty, Southern comfort food - a great combination!

By the way, we found that teenagers enjoy catching throwed rolls as much as toddler do!

View Lambert's Menu and Photo Gallery here:

http://www.throwedrolls.com/default.asp

Motto image taken from Lambert's website:

(Image take from Lambert's website and is their property.

Norman Ray Lambert's 13 Rules for Lambert's Restaurants

1. As the Bible says, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
2. "Always offer our guest at least one service they can't receive anywhere else."
3. "You, our guest, are very important, you are the reason we are here! THANK YOU!"
4. "We need you, our guest, much more than we need ourselves."
5. "You, our guest, are always right."
6. "It's our job to take care of you, if we don't someone else will."
7. "If we make a mistake, we will correct it immediately!"
8. "Our simple but powerful rule: Always give you, our guest, more than you expect to get."
9. "You are our guest; guests in our home, not clients or customers, but guests."
10. "Good enough for some is not good enough for us."
11. "The difference between ordinary and extra-ordinary, is: give that little extra."
12. "Quality rather than quantity matters, we offer BOTH."
13. "We do simple things, but in exceptional ways!"

Peaches and neighbors...

We made a quick trip out to the orchard for some fresh early peaches. They are $7.50 for a five pound flat. The cashier said they should have peaches every day for the rest of the season. They taste delicious!

I kept three or four peaches for us, and Larry carried the rest across the street to our sweet neighbor, Mr. Ray, who came to Larry’s rescue last week. Larry was loading the lawnmower into the truck to take it down to Dude’s house, when he had a slight mishap. The mower flipped over, pinning him underneath. While he lay trapped beneath the mower in our drive, with gasoline spilling all over him, he yelled at the top of his voice for one of us inside to come and help him. Unfortunately, we were all oblivious to his peril. Fortunately, Mr. Ray was more alert than us and came to Larry’s aid. Praise the Lord for Mr. Ray’s assistance and that, other than some bad bruises and scrapes, Larry is fine.

A basket of fresh fruit makes a lovely gift. I picked up a cute metal and wicker basket at Hobby Lobby (on clearance for $2) and a pretty coordinating kitchen towel at Dollar Tree. I filled the lined basket with the peaches, wrapped it in some cellophane, tied some ribbons around it, and it was ready for delivery. This is a great way to share food with those on restrictive diets.

Cost of peaches: $7.50

Cost of supplies for making fruit basket: $3.00

The value of a good neighbor: Priceless!!

I cut up the peaches I saved for us, sprinkled sugar over them and let them set awhile. I served the peaches over Sour Cream Pound Cake. I almost always have the ingredients on hand for this cake. It is one of our favorites. My pound cakes aren't always "pretty". I used to shy away for making them, because mine tend to rise up over the top of the pan and/or stick to the sides of the pan. My Pampered Chef Bundt pan pretty much put an end to the sticking problem, but they almost always rise too high. I am sure I am beating too much air into them. I was in a real hurry and trying to put the cake below together really quickly. Of course, it rose too high, and because I didn't have time to let it properly cool, it stuck slightly to the side of my pan. I usually take my serrated bread knife (yes, it's another PC product) and level the top off before turning the cake out onto the platter. I did this with this cake and put the part I cut off on a plate and set it aside. As I said, the cake stuck a bit on one side when I turned it onto the platter. Because Larry likes really crunchy bread, I took a spoon and scraped the stuck residue into a Ziploc for him. At supper, my son wanted "that top part that you always cut off. It's my favorite part, because it's so fluffy." After Larry had eaten a piece of cake and his "crunchies", he said, "I really like this cake. These crunchy things are the best part." So, don't beat yourself up if your dishes turn out less perfect than you desire. You never know. The mistakes may be your family's favorite parts!

Missision Friends, RA's and GA's - Thanks for the memories...

Easy Sausage Pizza

We did have our Easy Sausage Pizza tonight. I was able to walk in the door after church and have this meal on the table in less than 30 minutes. The two keys were having already shopped for all the ingredients over the week-end and having the sausage already cooked and in the freezer. I can’t tell you how pre-cooking our meats revolutionized my being able to quickly pull a meal together!

I do want to say thanks to the sweet ladies who were so kind to mention this blog to me at church tonight! I can't tell you how happy it makes me that someone might find this in the least bit helpful! I do want to give a "shout out" to Rachel, the youngest reader and best encourager of this blog!! Thanks, Rachel, for keeping me updated on the recipes you guys have tried! You make my day!!

A bit of rambling…

Tonight was the culmination of 20+ years for me of working in my church’s missions program. It’s kind of funny that so many of my memories of these years center around food. I was never a big Kool-Aid drinker - even as a child, but I got lots of good experience making it for our preschool mission program, Mission Friends! I still remember stirring that sweet, powdery mess in this big square-ish pitcher with this long wooden spoon, which was stained with a rainbow of colors from years of making Kool-Aid of all flavors imaginable! I also remember constructing edible turkeys from Oreos, making peanut butter play dough, and “churning butter” in baby food jars with those sweet preschoolers so many years ago. I remember lugging 2-liter drinks, Little Debbie snack cakes, and coolers full of ice up three flights of stairs to the RA room. I’ll never forget way over ordering pizza for our first RA race! I think I had enough pizza to feed the whole town! I’ll also never forget those kind RA leaders who pitched in to cover the cost of the left-over pizzas and took them home. I think we all ate pizza for the rest of the week, but the RA budget was saved!! In GA’s, we tried to bring foods to compliment the culture of the missionary we were learning about. The girls' favorite was nachos with cheese dip, or better yet - a “field trip” to Mi Pueblo! I’ve squirted more cheese-in-a-can on crackers for kids through the years than I care to think about! I think our church single-handedly kept Cheez-whiz and Keebler in business! Through all this, I have found that kids of all ages seem to love “snack time!” There’s just a bonding that takes place over shared food! As much as the kids seemed to have enjoyed the eating, I have to say the most fun thing for me about all that purchasing, lugging, preparing, and serving of food was the fellowship I experienced with the other mothers and dads who were also purchasing, lugging, preparing and serving the food! I’ve had parents tell me - “I really can’t do anything, but maybe make Kool-Aid!” That’s a great place to start! I think God has a special blessing for those who go home from church with Tropical Punch-stained hands and clothing from years of making drinks for His kids! For those reading this who are fellow church members, I thank you for the privilege of serving! It was a blast!!