Recipes and Stories for a Full, Filled Life

John 10:10 - Jesus said, "I came that they (you and me) may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance - to the full, til it overflows.

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

New Year Blessing Basket


This is a great last-minute gift for a person who is hard to shop for--or who has everything!  The items are taken from the classic movie, "It's a Wonderful Life".  Include the movie in a basket along with the other items and  attach this card.

NEW YEAR BLESSING BASKET

A symbolic gift and blessing  to you for
the New Year!  
Bread, so your house will never know hunger. 
Salt, so that life will always have flavor.  
Special drink, so there will always be joy. 
Sugar, that sweetness touches even your
worst of days. 
Candles, that you may always find your
way back home.

I pray that you may enjoy good health
and that all may go well with you, even
as your soul is getting along well.  3 John 2


Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Navy Bean and Ham Soup



Beans are a great source of fiber and protein.

1 pound dry navy beans
3 qt. water
2 c. celery, chopped
2 c. carrots, chopped
2 medium onions, chopped
1 meaty ham bone
¼ tsp. pepper
salt to taste


Sort and wash beans.  Combine beans and water in a large Dutch oven.  Let stand overnight.  Add ham bone.  Cover and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer 1½ -2 hours.  (At this point, remove the ham bone from the pot, and cut the meat off the bone,  discard any fat; refrigerate the meat.   Place the bone back in the pot, and add the meat back to the pot when ready to serve.  This will preserve the flavor of the meat.)  Add veggies and cook another 1 ½ hour or until beans and veggies are tender.   Return meat to soup.  Salt to taste.  Garnish with parsley.  Serves 8

Left-over gourds

I didn't want to toss the gourds out!  So I painted them with Elmer's glue and glittered them.  Beautiful!