500 words

I was reading some things about my former professor 

after seeing an Instagram post of one of his books

and when I read that he tries to write 500 words/day/3x 

I latched on to this idea and am going to try it.

As in just 500 words, not 1500 (500 on 3 projects/day).

Will see if I can maintain this and make something of it.

***

Today we went to vespers and had Confession before hand.

That is a real blessing and I am grateful. 

We had left overs and fresh strawberries and red grapes

that were perfectly tart but sweet and I had an English Muffin

with PB and Jam and am convinced that this is one of my all time

favourite foods.... 

***

It was really hot today and is going to be up to 100F tomorrow.

I ask prayers for everyone in that!

Whew!

I have ordered some new books to read as well

and am really excited about that.

***

I hope you are well and had a few moments of peace today.

God bless each of you! 

Vespers and Liturgy for St Peter and Paul (new style)

It was very good to be in church last night and this morning.

I am feeling pretty tired from such a busy week...

I struggle, as many do I know, to be present to the prayers,

but yet I trust God's mercy and the prayers for Holy Communion

that speak of how unworthy we are to receive

but yet we trust in God's mercy and love, 

are all the more real...

***

I am going to be busy esp the next 2 weeks seeing various 

family members and traveling a lot.

So if I don't blog much, that's why

and not to worry.

I will be with family and well taken care of! 

Blessings and God's mercy to each of you! 

More on the dinner with my goddaughter and her Mother, back in April

As written in April...and that I blogged about earlier...

And I also prepared most of tomorrow's dinner:

1. Chicken dish with cream mushroom gravy with garlic and pearl onions 

2. Not made by me but instead pre-made (fresh direct, they are super) mashed potatoes

3. Crudités (red/orange/yellow pepper + carrots and a broccoli) chopped and in clean cold water in fridge 

4. Need to make: spinach salad which I have small chopped peppers ready for

5. Above mentioned fruit salad

Also for dessert...

1. Pound Cake ice cream from local ice cream shop

2. Blessed Pascha (Easter) cookies, waiting in freezer 

3. Strawberries and cream 

4. Tea, etc!

I had made the chicken in advance, the one thing I would do different

I cannot remember exactly but basically it was in the broth too long on the re-heat 

and it overcooked... it was very good and I would make it again,

would just do more of it at one go and serve, instead of reheating. 

Epic Brunch with my Goddaughter and her Mother

Sausage Cream Gravy and Biscuits 

Scalloped Eggs

Baked Apples (with maple syrup in centre)

Baked potatoes (from left over boiled potatoes)

Biscuits. They were good, but I over-toasted them.

I have made this recipe many times now and it is 

a wonderful one! 

Marion Cunnnigham had classes she did with James Beard

and they made these biscuits. 

So simple and so good! 

I wrote this in April:

So I love cooking and baking challenges for myself.... I researched 3 cookbooks and found recipes that could be easily reheated.... today I have made for an epic breakfast for tomorrow:

1. Biscuits (Marion Cunningham/James Beard recipe)

2. 4 biscuits with added sugar to go with strawberries and sweetened whipped cream 

3. A Cream and Sausage gravy to go with the biscuits 

4. Prepared one breakfast sausage so all it needs is a reheat tomorrow

5. I have 1 dish to make yet - a baked egg dish

I will also have for breakfast

6. Fruit Salad (strawberry, clementine + banana) with a sour cream dip (also strawberries and cream)

7. Crepes (French style, bought pre-made)

8. I want to make a simple baked apple

Also on hand will be:

9. Vanilla yogurt and plain yogurt

10. really good jams

+ coffee and tea!

***

The scalloped eggs, from Marion Cunningham's The Breakfast Book

were quite simple, boiled eggs sliced, 

bread crumbs, butter, I think milk poured on top before baking... 

tasted a lot, I realized a few days later, like French Toast

and was quite good with a bit of maple syrup!

***

The Cream and Sausage gravy was adapted also from Cunningham's book.

As were the baked apples....

Some of the biscuits I added sugar on top to and had those

with strawberries and sweetened whipped cream.

***

It was very good and between that and the dinner I made for the same weekend,

was one of the biggest cooking endeavours that I had done to date.

I am glad I was able to do it.

I can see how we were in a tough time then and I find cooking 

and such projects really helpful.

We are still in a tough time and we just have to trust God for all of this.