Chicken Salad

I love chicken salad and serve it often. I rarely make it the same way twice. My favorite way is to add chopped dried apricots, curry powder and toasted almond slivers to the mayo mixture. So yummy!

For the bridal shower I gave last weekend, I kept it simple with this basic recipe.

Make it at least a day before serving to give the flavors time to blend. For that reason I don't put onions or eggs in my salad. It just doesn't smell right to me. If you like it, go for it! That's also the reason I don't add the grapes until time to serve. I like them crisp, not mushy.

My son-in-law, Ben, gave me a genius tip--put the cooked chicken breast in your Kitchenaid Mixer with the regular paddle. In 30 seconds you will have perfectly shredded chicken. Add the remaining ingredients, mix for another thirty seconds, and you are done! For the bridal shower I shredded about five pounds of chicken breasts. Using the mixer saved me so much time!

Place cooked chicken breast in mixing bowl.

Mix on low for thirty seconds.

Perfectly shredded chicken!

Chicken Salad

2 ½ cups shredded cooked chicken breasts

1 cup chopped celery

½ cup chopped toasted pecans

2 T. chopped fresh dill

½ tsp. Mrs Dash

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup mayonnaise

½ cup Greek yogurt (I like 0% fat Fage)

1 cup sliced, seedless grapes

Placed cooked chicken breast in bowl of Kitchenaid mixer. Using regular paddle turn on mixer for 30 seconds. Add remaining ingredients. Beat until mixture is thoroughly combined. Add chopped grapes or serve grapes on the side. Use for sandwiches or scoop into lettuce cups. Serves 10

Snickerdoodles

Photo by Naylor Made Photography

Rolled in cinnamon and sugar and baked until they are crispy on the outside but chewy in the middle. These cookies bring a sense of warmth and happiness. I've been known to call them "boy bait" 'cause I've never met a man who could resist them.

SNICKERDOODLES

1 cup soft shortening (part butter)
1 ½ cup sugar
2 eggs
2 ¾ cup flour
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. soda
¼ tsp. salt
Heat oven to 400. Mix shortening, sugar and eggs thoroughly. Blend all dry ingredients; stir in.
Roll into balls the size of small walnuts. Roll in mixture of 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon. Place 2” apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes. (These cookies puff up at first, then flatten out.) Makes about 5 dozen 2” cookies.

Double the recipe and put half the dough in a quart-size freezer bag. When things get crazy during the holidays or your kids pull an "Oh-by-the-way-I-need-cookies-for-school-tomorrow!" you will be all set!

Broccoli Cheese Potato Soup

Fall has finally arrived! Here in Texas the temperatures have dropped into the 80's, so the air isn't exactly crisp, but it sure beats the heck out of the 100's we had this summer. What it does mean is football games, homecoming, and pumpkin patch mazes. This recipe is perfect when you need a quick hearty meal. Make it on the weekend while you're watching college games, refrigerate it, and fast as your microwave can ding, it's ready for Friday Night Lights.
You only need thirty minutes to throw this together. You have to do some chopping, but you can buy frozen chopped broccoli and use canned cubed potatoes or use leftover mashed potatoes. I like to use fresh potatoes and cook them until they are tender crisp, not mushy.

Gather all your ingredients. You can buy onion and celery already chopped or
use a frozen mirepoix mix.

Saute onions and celery in 2 tablespoons of butter.

Stir and cook until onions are translucent.

Add chopped ham, flour and seasonings.

Stir until blended 

This is my secret ingredient--Better Than Bouillon

A tablespoon added to any soup kicks it up a notch.
Beef, vegetable, and ham bouillon are also available.

Add milk, broth and potatoes. Cook until mixture thickens
and comes to a boil.

Cover and cook on low until potatoes are tender

Add steamed broccoli

 Cook over low until cheese is melted and soup is heated through. Ummm, wonder what it would taste
like with a smokey gouda? I might try that next time.

No matter how much substance I put in the soup,
my husband still likes crumbled-up crackers.

Broccoli Cheese and Potato Soup

Prep Time: 10 min.; Total Time: 30 min; Servings: 8

Ingredients

1/3 cup chopped onion

1/3 cup chopped celery

2 tablespoons butter or 2 tablespoons margarine

1/4 cup flour

4 cups diced peeled potatoes

2 1/2 cups chopped broccoli, steamed until crisp tender

1 cup chopped ham

3 cups chicken broth

1 Tablespoon Better than Bouillon

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

2 cups skim milk

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 dash paprika

salt

minced fresh parsley, if desired

Directions

In a large saucepan, saute onion and celery in butter over medium heat until tender.

Add flour, pepper, salt, and paprika and stir until smooth.

Add broth, milk, ham and potatoes, stirring constantly until it boils and thickens.

Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Stir in cheese and cooked broccoli and cook over low until cheese is melted and soup is heated through.

Sprinkle individual servings with parsley if desired.

You can change this recipe to satisfy dairy-free by using soy cheese, almond milk, and Earth Balance buttery spread.

ENJOY!

Dealing with Disappointment and Depression

His eyes look right into my soul.
Naylor Made Photography

I suffered a disappointment today. Not a big thing, just an unfulfilled expectation. No lives were permanently changed, I was just disappointed.

I know all the right phrases to say in these situations: "All things work together for good for those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose;" "His timing is perfect;" "Give thanks in all things;" I believe all those things are true. I strive to be obedient to the faith and knowledge that I have, but sometimes my heart hurts.
When diagnosing the cause of my heartache or depression, I ask myself three questions: Are you eating nutritiously; have you had enough rest; and, have you exercised? Why question my physical wellbeing when my emotions are out of balance? Because we live within natural laws of this world. My physical state impacts my spiritual and emotional state. If the answer to any of those questions is, "No," I do what I have to rectify the situation.

If the answer is, "Yes," I try to look outward instead of inward. I've indulged in more than a few pity parties. In fact I throw a good one, but I have never found self-absorption to be the solution. The answer for me is to do something for someone else. It doesn't have to be a big thing, just something. 
Tomorrow I will steam-clean my mother's carpets. I will visit my dad at the rehab center where he is recovering from hip replacement surgery. I will thank God all the way home for my working arms and legs. Then I'll probably pay someone to clean my carpets!

A dear friend shared this prayer with me. It is attributed to St. Francis of Assisi. I carry a copy in my purse. It seems to fit every occasion.

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace;

Where there is hatred, let me sow love;

Where there is injury, pardon;

Where there is error, the truth;

Where there is doubt, the faith;

Where there is despair, hope;

Where there is darkness, light;

And where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, Grant that I may not so much seek

To be consoled, as to console;

To be understood, as to understand;

To be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;

And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Graham Streusel Cake

My son is not one to eat many sweets. In fact, he asks for pie on his birthday, not cake. He loves this cake because it's nice and light.
This is my go-to recipe when I need a easy coffee cake for a ladies coffee or lunch. Great after a meal, it's even better as a pick-me-up with a cup of coffee in the middle of the afternoon.

Struesel Topping Ingredients (chopped nuts were omitted on this occasion)

Cake ingredients

Melt butter. Mix together with cinnamon, brown sugar, chopped pecans, and graham crackers crumbs for topping.

Mix until crumbly

Mix cake ingredients together as directed on back of the box.

Beat for three minutes on medium speed

Pour half of cake mixture into greased 9x13 pan.

Cover with half of crumb mixture

Continue with remaining cake mixture

Finish with remaining half of crumb mixture. BAKE at 350 for 30-40 minutes.

For glaze combine powdered sugar and water.

Stir until smooth

Remove baked cake from oven when toothpick inserted in the
middle covers out clean

While still warm, drizzle glaze over top.

Graham Streusel Cake

TOPPING:

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

¾ cup chopped nuts

¾ cup brown sugar (packed)

1 ¼ teaspoons cinnamon

¾ cup butter, melted

CAKE:

1 package white cake mix

1 cup water

¼ cup vegetable oil

3 eggs

VANILLA GLAZE:

Mix 2 cup powdered sugar 

1 to 2 tablespoons water until desired consistency.

Enjoy!

Suicide Survivor

I hadn't talked to my older sister in six months to a year, but she called to wish me a happy birthday. She sounded anxious and flustered. I could hear the wind in the phone and the crunch of gravel as she paced.

“Randa, are you okay?” I asked after a minute of pleasantries. 

"No, not really. After I lost my job at Wal-Mart, I got a job helping emotionally challenged kids. I thought I could make a difference. I understand what they go through. The director said I wasn’t the fit they were looking for and let me go. I don’t know what I’m going to do now.

I’ve been clean and sober for two years, but it is so hard to stay that way. I don’t have any support at home. My husband says it’s his house and if he wants a drink, he’s going to have it,” her voice broke.

Alarmed, I asked, “Randa, are you on your medication for bi-polar disorder?”

“No, I can’t afford it without a job or insurance.”

“Honey, you’ve got to get some help. I can’t do anything from Texas. Is there anyone in Kansas I can call for you?”

“I’ll be fine. Talking to you helps,” she continued to pace.

“Lace, do you think God will forgive me for all the things I’ve done?” she asked.

“Don’t you know He only forgives the perfect people?” I responded. She guffawed. I teased her because we’d had this conversation before. I knew she knew the answer, but it worked to break the tension.

“Randa, no one is perfect. If I gave you a beautifully wrapped gift would you open it or would you put it on a shelf and wonder if it was for you?”

“I’d open it, of course,” she said.

“God’s forgiveness is the same. It was yours the first time you asked for it, but you’ve placed it on a shelf. Open the gift, Randa!"

I assured her of God’s unconditional love and begged her to get some help. She assured me she would be fine. I should have called her husband or sons and thrown a fit, but I didn’t want to interfere.

Last family photo, November 2003. Randa is in the middle of the front row.

    Five weeks later on October 2, 2004, my mother called with the news. In good spirits that morning, Randa had fixed a big breakfast for her husband. They sat and chatted before she saw him off to work with a goodbye kiss. He was clueless to her plan. 
     Her 32-year-old son was living in the basement of their home at the time. He had spent the night out and ran home before work to pick-up a few things. Entering the house, he called out for his mom, but got no answer. He ran downstairs to grab a clean shirt and saw Randa’s little Boston Terrier lying at the end of the bed. He called to her as he started up the stairs. She didn’t respond. Her eyes stayed focused on the other side of the bed. He walked back downstairs and around the bed to see his mother’s lifeless body on the floor. She had used his gun to end her life. She was only 52 years-old.

     Today, I’d like to shine some light on the subject of suicide and depression. Every year at this time a spirit of depression descends on our entire family. It affects not just my parents and Randa’s three sons, but my siblings and my children. Two years I was surprised to recognize some of the symptoms listed below in myself. I have a wonderful life and do not consider myself depressed. My doctor however explained it as a chemical imbalance and prescribed a low dosage of an antidepressant. I am amazed how the cloud in my brain has lifted. I no longer wake-up to a barrage of negative, self-defeating thoughts and my energy has returned. My only side-affect seems to be a dry mouth. It is totally worth it for the clarity which has been restored to me. I thank God for giving man the intelligence to create such a little pill.
     The The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, along with other helpful information, lists the following warning signs of suicide:

Observable signs of serious depression:

• Unrelenting low mood
• Pessimism
• Hopelessness
• Desperation
• Anxiety, psychic pain and inner tension
• Withdrawal
• Sleep problems
• Increased alcohol and/or other drug use
• Recent impulsiveness and taking unnecessary risks
• Threatening suicide or expressing a strong wish to die

Making a plan:

• Giving away prized possessions
• Sudden or impulsive purchase of a firearm
• Obtaining other means of killing oneself such as poisons or medications

• Unexpected rage or anger

      The emotional crises that usually precede suicide are often recognizable and treatable. Although most depressed people are not suicidal, most suicidal people are depressed. Serious depression can be manifested in obvious sadness, but often it is rather expressed as a loss of pleasure or withdrawal from activities that had been enjoyable. One can help prevent suicide through early recognition and treatment of depression and other psychiatric illnesses.

      Ken Duckworth, medical director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, stated in an article in USA Today, “Ninety percent of people who die by suicide have a mental illness, and many are afraid to seek help. Sometimes people fear they will lose their jobs or be viewed differently if they acknowledge these problems."

     If you or someone you love exhibits any of these symptoms, I implore you to get help. There is no shame in seeking treatment. Depression is an illness which can be treated. If your loved one had pneumonia you would cart them off to the hospital whether they liked it or not. Mental illness should be viewed in the same way. You may save their life or your own.
     The National Suicide Prevention Hotline number is 1-800-273-8255.

     Gratefully, that is not the end of the story. Two years to the day of sister's death, my granddaughter, T-Bug, was born. She is the epitome of joy!

God redeemed the day. He gave us the opportunity to celebrate life, rather than mourn a senseless death. 

The Wedding

A DIY wedding makes for a weary bride.

Our road to happily-ever-after suffered twists and turns and more than one bump.On our first date Sweet & Sensitive told me he was recently divorced. I had dated men whose definition of "recently separated" was since breakfast. A little short on trust, Monday morning found me at the County Courthouse checking out his definition. Records confirmed his divorce had been filed the day we met, but separated for over a year.
By December I knew I could get old with S&S. It took a year to convince him of the same. Fear of a rebound romance caused him to second-guess his feelings. I wasn't willing to wait at home while he dated around. Arguments and breakups, albeit short ones ensued. In January of 1984 he decided he'd rather marry me than risk losing me. Not very romantic, but it's worked out for us.We set the wedding for July 14.
We entered into our partnership with loads of debt. He made rent, alimony, car, and child support payments in addition, to credit card debts from the first marriage. I made house and car payments, but received a whopping $125 a month for child support. We each paid our children's health insurance and medical bills. There was little money leftover for a wedding.
Since it was our second wedding we wanted to keep it small and informal. His parents' home was a venue we could afford.

My mother and I made all the flower arrangements and decorated the home.
 I made the cake ahead of time, froze it, and my sister frosted and
 assembled it the morning of the wedding. 

I designed my dress and Mom made it for me.

She made Baby's dress and Baby Boy's ring bearer pillow

Dr.Lavon Brown of First Baptist Church, Norman,
 graciously consented to marry us.

Even a small wedding has it's share of drama. During the wedding vows Ralph seemed distracted and amused. I did not find his inattention humorous.

He seemed to be laughing at something behind Dr. Brown.

After the kiss, he showed me how the cake had slowly
 thawed and fallen over in the July heat.

He righted the cake. We cut it and every morsel was consumed by our guests, along with everything else on the buffet table. 

Randall and Priscella Thetford, the Baptists
Roland and Carol Stussi, the Lutherans
came together for this mixed marriage.

We became a family and added one more the next year.