Stacy's Tea and Dreams

Second Chance Mac N' Cheese

2011-12-26T19:10:00.001-08:00

Ok. So this dish is not going to win any awards or make you go WOW! But today is the day after Christmas, I am exhausted and ended up with a crazy amount of left over macaroni and cheese. Now one thing you must understand is I have inherited this gene from my memaw that won't allow me to waste things. I can be a real pack rat too. "Ooh! That would be a good (insert item here) to use some day to (insert use here)." I fight this constantly lest TV cameras show up at my door one day with a smiling TV host saying," Your family sent us, they are concerned about you and think you need help". So thus the second chance mac and cheese was born. Now the thing about left overs is you just use what you have so my dish may be a lot different than another person. My goal was to make a creamy cheesy one skillet dish. So here goes nothing.

First I sauteed onions and garlic in olive oil. I had some left over mushrooms that needed to be cooked so I dumped those in the skillet too. I cooked this until it was soft, then added salt, pepper, basil, and oregano. Then in with a can of diced tomatoes, the mac and cheese, dry mustard and a little Worcestershire sauce. I then added some sharp cheddar and some Parmesan. You could leave out the tomatoes, or add chicken or beef, or what ever sounds good. Like I said, the thing is to use whatever you like and you have on hand.

So not 5 star, but a quick yummy supper that didn't waste the mac and cheese. Memaw would be proud.

I started thinking about second chances when I gave the mac and cheese a new "life" tonight. I am thankful for second chances. Our God is the God of second chances. Sometimes we screw things up, basically because we are human and these things happen. No matter how hard we try, we will always make mistakes. Sometimes I know there are things that God would like for me to do, but I don't listen and don't do them. He forgives my faults and helps me to forgive myself. He certainly gives me many second chances. I hope that you too can find your second chances.
"Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness." Lamentations 3:22, 23

Wishing you much love and many blessings,
Stace

The Simple Things

2011-07-17T16:58:00.000-07:00

This afternoon I am reminded of how much I love the simple things in life. It is good to have dreams, goal and ambitions, but it is the day to day little things that I think are the most important somehow. Simple things like hugging our children and family, smiles and laughter, sitting on the porch and enjoying God's creation. Even a Saturday morning trip to the market is a wonderful time. It is not the things we buy, although I enjoy the fresh veggies, milk and eggs, but it is more the relationships that we have started with the people there. It is a simple thing to say hello and share a smile and a thanks. Another simple thing that I love is making a pot of soup. Not a fancy soup with a name that is difficult to pronounce and unusual ingredients, but a simple pot of wholesome hearty soup. Today's was Lentil Soup. Nothing fancy here, just wonderfully simple goodness. I am also glad that our God is simple. We don't have to do anything fancy to impress Him. I think all he wants really is our love and devotion, to put Him first in our lives and serve and worship Him. Of course when we do this, he blesses us and wonderful things come of it, like opportunities to serve and share our blessings and His love with others. So in keeping with the simple things in life. I give you my Lentil Soup recipe.

Lentil Soup

1 Lg onion chopped
4 cloves garlic slivered
4 small carrots or 2 larger ones chopped

Saute these in the bottom of a dutch oven in olive oil til tender.
Add in salt to taste, approx. 1 tsp Cumin, a sprinkle of Coriander and Turmeric. ( I add to taste)
1 -28oz can of diced tomatoes and about 4 cups of vegetable stock, and 1 to 1 1/2 cups of lentils. (red or brown are my favorites) Let cook til lentils are tender, about 30 minutes; then add in fresh chopped cilantro and about 1 tbsp of lemon juice. You may need to add in some water if your soup gets thick while the lentils cook.

I like to serve this with nice crusty bread and add a little feta cheese to my bowl of soup. It is simple, but oh so good. Not too expensive either which is a plus as well.

My hope is that as this week progresses, I can enjoy the simple things and focus on the things that God would have me to. It is simple really. Believe in Him, love Him and fix my eyes on Him. Everything else will all fall into place with these. I hope you too have a blessed week full of simple things.

John 3 : 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Much Love and Many Blessings,
Stace

Beautiful Brussels Sprouts!

2011-01-22T06:48:00.000-08:00

There are some veggies out there that just simply get a bad reputation and it seems it never changes. Most of the people I have discussed brussels sprouts with do not like them. Some are very open minded vegetarians when it comes to food. I personally love a good brussels sprout. I fear these individuals have horrible memories of steamed bland brussels sprouts from a freezer bag, perhaps drowned in processed cheese, that have no flavor and are no fun whatsoever. When prepared with imagination, these healthy little tidbits are fabulous. I found this recipe in January's edition of Vegetarian Times and it is really quite tasty. I used frozen veg instead of fresh simply for price and convenience, and it worked out quite well. I also had some hamburger I needed to use, so I made hamburger patties with onion, garlic and feta cheese. Turned out to be a pretty great supper for one since my favorite vegetarian was visiting his parents. (He is one of those open minded vegetarians who doesn't really care for brussels sprouts. I figured what better time? )

Brussels Sprouts with Walnuts and Dried Cranberries
adapted from Vegetarian Times magazine.

1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 tsp olive oil
1lb bag frozen brussels sprouts thawed and halved
2 shallots chopped (sweet or yellow onions would work, aprox 1/2 cup)
1 clove garlic slivered
1/4 cup chopped dried cranberries ( I accidentally bought cherries, worked out pretty well.)
1 Tbs Honey

In a dry skillet toast the walnuts over med high heat, about 3-4 minutes. You don't want them too brown, only lightly toasted to give them some great flavor. Set these aside til later. Take the shallots and garlic and saute them in the olive oil over med heat til they are beginning to soften and become translucent. Add in the brussels sprouts and cranberries and saute until tender, add a bit of water (aprox 1/4 to 1/2 cup) to keep them from sticking. When they are soft and most of the liquid is gone, let this cook until the onions and garlic and brussels sprouts begin to caramelize, (you will see browning on the edges, use a lower heat if needed to prevent burning) which gives it a sweeter flavor. I like my veg a little more firm than some, so cook til you are satisfied. Remove from heat. Add in the honey and walnuts, toss together and serve.

During this past week, Chris has been to visit his parents and things were very lonely around here. I have really enjoyed having him back home. I truly have a blessed life, in so many ways, but it is not complete when we are apart. I am thankful for my friend and husband that God has given me. He is the peanut butter and I am the jelly in this world we live in. Both of those apart are good, but put them together and it is fabulous!

1 Corinthians 13:13
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Thank you Lord, for your undying love, and the love you have given to me.

Many Blessings and Much Love!
Stace

New Year, New You?

2011-01-03T16:32:00.000-08:00

It's that time again. New Year resolutions have been made, and now we have to try and follow through. The beginning of a new year provides an opportunity to try and make things "new", make a change, become a better person. Funny how the change of date can motivate so many. There are few ideas about where New Year resolutions originated, some from Roman and Babylonian cultures. The new year has not always begun on January 1st, so these traditions have changed over the years as cultures and ideas changed. We start out with good intentions and by the second or third month many of us have become less motivated to keep our resolutions.

I usually don't make a New Year Resolution, just try to make the best things as they come. Today I was looking at a cookbook a friend had given me and realized that I have a huge collection of recipes and I have gotten into a rut and cook most of the same things over and over. I resolved to cook at least one new recipe each week to take advantage of all these recipes. Why have them if I am not going to use them, right? So, for my friends who have asked to know what I am cooking, here you go. Tonight's meal was not new, but not something we have everyday. I used a black bean recipe from a Vegetarian Times cookbook (Thanks Patty!) and tweaked things to my liking.

Black Bean Burritos:

In a tiny bit of olive oil saute' 1 large onion diced, 2-4 cloves of garlic slivered. When this is nice and tender add in: 1 can black beans drained and rinsed, about 1/2 t. cumin, 1 t. cilantro, 1/2 t. turmeric and salt and pepper to taste. (adjust these to your taste, I don't really measure, just toss it in.) You could also add in some chilies if you wanted some heat. Cook til tender, add in a bit of stock or water if needed to keep from sticking.

Use whatever tortillas float your boat, we had large flour tortillas, I layered the bean mixture with some 2% cheddar cheese, salsa, lettuce and fat free Greek yogurt (good alternative to sour cream) and sliced avocado that had been sprinkled with lemon to prevent browning. Roll all this up and Voila'! Quick, easy, pretty healthy supper. Good protein and plenty of veg. You can adjust the portions of things to suit your needs, I am using weight watchers so I use the point system. Very filling and not too pricey. You can also add in whatever yummy veggies you prefer. That is the beauty of this kind of supper. Use what you have! We finished ours up with a sweet delicious orange for dessert.

As for me, all those resolutions that are tempting to make, I am giving to God this year. He is really the only one who can make me a better person. You see, I know the REAL me. The one not many people get to see because of social etiquette and pride. He knows the real me too, and even though I can be a really nasty person inside sometimes, He loves me still the same and makes all things new. Thank you Lord.

And he that sat upon the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new".Revelation 21:5

Many Blessings and Much Love,
Stace

Time for Tomatoes!

2010-07-11T11:04:00.000-07:00

It's that time. For those of you who really love tomatoes, you will understand how I feel. If I could only plant one thing in my garden, it would be tomatoes. Chris and I share the love of these wonderful fruits and will happily eat more than our share of tomato sandwiches until they are all gone this fall. Even then I hope to have some wonderful salsa and sauce canned to enjoy this winter. I even love the smell of the vines when you pick the sun warmed tomatoes, so warm and earthy and wonderful. In the past few years I have discovered the joy of heirloom tomatoes. They definitely have the taste of "real tomatoes" that I remember as a young person. My Grandfather would drink homemade tomato juice and it was so good. I have memories of my Grandmother canning all the garden veggies and freezing, breaking beans, picking corn. Oh, but those tomatoes, they were the best.

Chris and I enjoy homemade salsa this time of year. It's really easy to make and you can make it as you need it or you could can some for later. I don't really have a recipe I follow, just a sort of guide to how I like it. Goes something like this:

Green onions and sweet onions diced small.
Tomatoes diced small with juice
Garlic chopped fine
Hot peppers of your choice chopped fine (remove the seeds)
Lemon or lime juice
Salt
Cilantro roughly chopped

I mix all these things together until it we like the way it tastes. I would say I probably use 1/2 the amount of onions to tomatoes and garlic and peppers to taste. A good bowl of homemade guacamole is always good with this as well. We use mashed avocado with a bit of sour cream, lemon juice and salt.

All the tomatoes and canning plans really make me think of growing up, my old hometown and where this journey of life has taken me. I know that there are plans for all our lives, and that God has led me along this journey to help me acquire the skills I need for the rest of it. I believe that it is that way for all of us. Sometimes He asks things of us that are difficult, uncomfortable and that truly we don't want to do. So having faith that His way is best and that he knows the big picture and what needs to be done we follow His lead. Along the way, He provides reassurance that we are His and He will care for us. God is really very cool that way. In the end, maybe we will see the whys and whats and it will make sense, or maybe not. Whatever the outcome, we know we are where we need to be. There is a peace like no other that comes from the act of faith and knowing God is there. A young lady at church today shared this verse that helped her through a week of missions. Thanks Lyndsey, I needed this today too.
^{Proverbs 3: 5-6
5} Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
⁶ In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.

Much Love and Many Blessings,
Stace

Our dreams............

2010-05-23T19:38:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since my last post. Wow, a long while. Life has gotten so busy. Work is long, days are short and there is too much to do. I recently found myself making several cakes and preparing food for a church function. During all the busyness, I have been reminded while making those cakes how much I enjoy creating food that I enjoy and sharing that with others. I get so much pleasure out of seeing a dish come together, and watching others enjoy it. It doesn't have to be a pretty cake, or something fancy. The simplest bowl of soup shared with others who can also enjoy it is a wonderful experience. So, all this of course has me thinking about Tea and Dreams, and how cool it could be. I think our dreams are what get us through the tough times. We must have hope, we must have goals, or dreams. In our country we are blessed to have opportunities to make those dreams happen. I keep praying and dreaming. Maybe one day you will come visit me at my shop and I will welcome you with open arms and a great cup of tea. Until then,

Much Love and Many Blessings,

Stace
( I will include another recipe with my next post!)

Psalm 37:4
Delight yourself also in the LORD,And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

Blessings and "Bugs"

2009-11-30T17:07:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving has come and gone, and I have had enough turkey to last until next year! Unfortunately this is also the season when catching a "bug" no longer means children catching fire flies to watch in jar or a cute ladybug on a twig. My husband Chris is feeling a bit under the weather, so tonight I decided to cook up some garlic soup to help fight off the "bug." Now I know that most of you are already holding your nose and crying "ewww, that can't taste good!" I have to say that if you really really don't like garlic, you are probably correct. But for those of us that LOVE garlic, it is fabulous! I also must give garlic a pat on the back because it is a great germ fighter and the health benefits are numerous. I also roasted some heads of garlic for bread or whatever I get in the mood to put it on. Roasting gives it a more subtle sweet flavor. ( Yes, garlic can taste sweet... *smile*)

Roasted Garlic
Slice the top off of a head of garlic just thick enough to open up the top of the cloves. Place the head of garlic cut side up in a oven safe dish and drizzle a little olive oil over the top. Place in a 350 degree oven for 30-45 minutes until soft. The garlic cloves should be soft enough that when cool you can squish them out into a bowl.

Now, what can you do with this wonderful roasted treasure? You can add a bit of salt if you like and eat it on a cracker. Put it on a piece of buttered bread for the best garlic bread you ever tasted. Add it to mashed potatoes. I just had some on a piece of left over turkey. Use your imagination; it will be great any number of ways!

This Thanksgiving season, I found myself so overwhelmed with gratitude for all the blessings that God has given to me and my family. As topics of discussion turned to giving thanks in church groups and talks with family and friends, I kept thinking how much we have to be thankful for. I'm not talking about material goods necessarily, but things that money can't buy, like God's grace. No matter what our situation, how great the hurt, how unsure our future, we as Christians have the peace of knowing that God's grace covers us. As with most people, I have known both tough times when it seemed like every day brought a new hardship; and easy times when things just seemed to fall into place. Through it all, God's love and grace has given me peace in my heart, my very soul. So, when asked what I am most thankful for this Thanksgiving my answer is God's love and grace. He loves me even when I don't deserve it and continues to bless me in ways I could only imagine. I could make a list a mile long with all the wonderful people and circumstances that God has put in my life, but there is just not room. I wish for you this Thanksgiving season to know that great peace.

"When peace like a river attendeth my way
When sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot Thou hast taught me to say
It is well, it is well with my soul."

Wishing you a bountiful Thanksgiving and Many Blessings,
Stace

Follow your dreams........

2009-10-18T16:47:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since my last post. It's been busy, but we had a great vacation in the Smoky Mountains. We spent some time hiking, went to the Cherokee Reservation and just really enjoyed seeing God's creation. It was nice to have time away from work and responsibility, and coming back to that has been difficult. I did find this great book from Foxfire about Appalachian Cookery. It is full of stories and recipes of the people from the mountains when they cooked over fireplaces and then in wood fired ovens. Turns out the "new fangled" convenience of a wood fired stove wasn't as appreciated as one might think. Many women found it difficult to cook on and wood had to be added repeatedly to the fire to keep the heat constant. There are many fond stories of cornbread cooked over the fire in iron skillets. Sounds like heaven to me.

I haven't done much cooking this past week. We are still trying to get things settled in from our trip. Since we had an outdoor service for church today and a picnic afterward, I decided it was time for some sweet potato cupcakes. They are made with cinnamon and sweet potatoes and have cream cheese icing. Perfect flavors for fall. The recipe can be found on the Better Homes and Gardens website. I used my own cream cheese icing recipe, it has Almond bark melted and added in. I was given this recipe when I attended a cake decorating class given by Judy Ward, the Ohio Co. cake lady. Hopefully one day these will be on the Tea and Dreams menu.

Speaking of dreams......Being the big kids we are, we attended a magic show while we were Pigeon Forge. It was a great presentation, full of "bigger than life" characters who seemed to really enjoy entertaining. I was really impressed when at the end of the show, the magician began to share his story of " not giving up on your dreams and putting God in the drivers seat." He did a wonderful job of sharing his faith without being "preachy". As I thought about my life and my dreams, I realize how easy it is to try to be the one in charge of things. The whole fact of the matter is that the only way to truly be satisfied and have peace with where we are in life is to let God handle things. He will give us the "desires of our hearts." I believe that God is happy to give us our "dreams", but we must keep Him in front; in charge, so that our "dreams" are in line with His will. As we grow closer to Christ, our dreams and desires become what He wants, not what we want. So, never give up on your dreams. We all have different dreams related to different areas of our lives. Wishes, hopes, prayers....... Give them to God, and let Him have everything, you, your life and your dreams. It's all His anyway. He'll take care of the rest. Maybe one day we can share a great cup of tea over a table of good food at "Tea and Dreams"; maybe not, but until then I will praise God and give thanks for all the blessings and dreams he has given me.

Psalms 37:4-5 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

Many Blessings,
Stace

These boots are made for hiking!

2009-10-03T23:57:00.000-07:00

What an emotional week. My father passed away Wednesday after a long illness. It has been good to see family, but sad that it happens due to such terrible reasons. My heart is aching for my family and for myself. I am thankful to have a supportive, wonderful husband and a God who loves me even though I don't deserve it. I know that my Dad is with that God now, and that gives me hope.

We are leaving today for our anniversary trip to the Smoky Mountains. I am really excited as it has been years since we have had a vacation. I am looking forward to peace, quiet and rest. I have a pair of new hiking boots that are rarin' and ready to go. They have been strolling around the neighborhood and house getting ready for this trip. For our trip, we decided to make some trail mix, which is so super easy, and you can add what you like instead of buying pre-made.

OUR choices:
Cashews, peanuts, almonds, walnuts, dried pineapple and blueberries, Candy corn and M&M's.

We have a big baggie of this stuff ready to go and munch on. Maybe I can use it to catch a bear.....

Mat 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

God's rest, like God's time is perfect. Thank you Lord, for your awesome rest.

Much love and many blessings,
Stace

Tea and Time.....

2009-10-01T17:52:00.000-07:00

It has been a thought provoking week. I have had many conversations which have caused me to begin to rethink "time" in my life. With my fathers passing I have been reminded all too harshly that we do not always have tomorrow. A conversation with an old steady friend who is always there, even when we are far apart reminds me that even though we are always there for each other, for our families; we need to take the time to say I love you even when we are busy and can't say anything else. An email from a friend who has lost a pet who was a dear friend also makes me realize that we just never know when a sweet life will end, when the time we have with them will be over. Never be too busy to love someone who needs you, even if it is a quick word, visit or call.

So, how do we slow down, how do we find the time? I believe we pray for God to show us the moments we can use for this, and we seek them out, we plan for weekend calls or regular emails. And we should never be afraid to say," I love you".

I of course have dealt with my problems as usual with a good cup of tea and a new recipe. (Hence the need for Weight Watchers... : ) Oh, but this one is very calorie friendly and healthy. I had two wonderful spaghetti squash from the farmers market, so thus was born the Spaghetti Squash with Tomato and Mushrooms.

Halve the Spaghetti Squash and scoop out the seeds. Place cut side down on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray or a bit of Olive oil. Bake at 350 degrees until soft, around 45 minutes. Scoop out the flesh and it will string like spaghetti.

Sauce: I used a little bit of Bertolli Olive Oil and Garlic Marinara I had left.
1- 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion
2 to 4 cloves of Garlic slivered
1 cup Portabella Mushroom chopped ( I use a spoon to scoop out the black gills, they will turn your meal black)

Saute the onion, garlic and mushrooms in a bit of olive oil til tender.
I then halved about a cup of baby cherry tomatoes off of our plants in the garden and added them in until they warmed. Add salt to taste.

Serve squash topped with a bit of sauce and then ladle the veggies on top. I enjoy a little Parmesan Cheese grated on top as well.

God's time:
Ecc 3:1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
Ecc 3:4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.
And the list goes on.

They say time heals all wounds. May we all intentionally spend more time loving, laughing and dancing... the weeping and mourning will take care of themselves.....

Thank you Lord, for Your time and Your love.
Wishing you Many Blessings and Much Love,

Stace

It's chilly outside and there's Chili on the table.....

2009-09-28T17:19:00.000-07:00

I love Autumn and the cool weather last night and today has put me in the mood for all things pumpkin as well as a good pot of chili. I am, however, mourning the fact that our fabulous farmers' market will soon be over. Already some of the vendors have gone and the selection is dwindling each weekend. After our trek on Saturday, we came home with some beautiful peppers... thus, the new veggie-chili recipe was born.

1 monster size sweet onion
3 bell peppers (I used red, purple and green)
2 to 6 cloves of garlic, depending on your taste
hot pepper, to your taste, minced.

Mince the hot pepper and roughly chop the onions and bell peppers, then saute them all in olive oil in the bottom of a large pot. I use a stock pot to have plenty of room for all those fabulous veggies. After the onions and peppers have cooked for about five minutes, sliver the garlic cloves and add them, cooking until everything is nice and tender. Then add salt, fresh ground black pepper, cumin, tumeric and cilantro to taste.

1 can each (15 oz): dark red kidney beans, light red kidney beans, pinto beans
2 - 28 oz cans diced tomatoes
1 package Morningstar Farms soy crumbles (optional)

Add the beans, tomatoes and soy crumbles and let it all simmer for a few minutes until it's nice and bubbly and all the flavors have had a chance to get acquainted. If you need more liquid, you can add tomato juice or veggie stock. You could also add in some pasta if you like. Give it a taste for additional seasoning and it's ready for a bowl, some cheese and crackers.

Our God is so cool to give us such beautiful seasons and such wonderful food. I can't wait for the show to begin as the leaves start to change. The changing of the seasons always makes me stand in awe at the wisdom of our Creator. Even now, the little animals are preparing for winter and the trees are getting ready for their season of rest. Then in the Spring, a whole production of miracles will take place as the trees bud, the birds sing and the flowers bloom. What an awesome, awesome God.

Ecc 3:1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.

May you have many seasons of Blessed Tea and Dreams.........
Stace