Boy, oh Boy .. A 10 minute Quilt block?

I saw a tutorial on a 10 minute quilt block, that I knew I was destined to try. And true to it's word, the block took me 10 minutes... once I took 20 minutes trying to figure out one section of the block, with only 3 seams.. Yep, as the tutorial shows, it was just 3 seams.. and when all said , and done, it took me LESS than 10 minutes once I figured out what I needed to do..
Will it be a quilt pattern I will do often? Probably not, though I know I will do more baby donation quilts using it, since it is easy, and fast.. But it was kind of boring , which for someone like me who needs challenges in my quilting projects, it won't be done often.. But it was fun learning.. Heres a little boys quilt top, using the pattern called, "10 Minute Block "..

Chicken at it's finest..

Chicken Marsala

3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut in half horizontally into two thin cutlets
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons butter, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 cup Marsala wine
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons or more freshly grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 200 degrees.

Combine salt, pepper, paprika and flour on a plate and place near the cook top.

Heat 3 tablespoons of the butter and the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat until very hot. Dredge several chicken cutlets in the seasoned flour, shaking off excess and then add them to the pan, being careful not to crowd the pan. Saute until browned, turning after one or two minutes. Remove chicken to a plate when done and continue with remaining cutlets, until all have been cooked.

Sprinkle the lemon juice over the chicken and keep warm in a 200 degree oven.

Add remaining 3 tablespoons of butter to the pan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Saute until mushrooms are golden brown. Add the Marsala and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until the wine is reduced by half. Stir in the chopped parsley and return the chicken to the pan, turning once to coat. Transfer to a serving platter and top with the mushrooms and sauce and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.

Chocolate Cake to die for..

Not being able to sit still today, for some reason unknown to me, I ended up in the kitchen.. where Chocolate , usually not in my diet because I am not a fan of sweets OR chocolate usally, I ended up making from scratch, this German Chocolate Sour Cream Cake with Coconut Pecan Icing.. I dont know who will eat it, because .. I am not a fan of sweets.. Give me a chunk of hot sour dough bread fresh out of my oven with softned margarine ( notice I said margarine, and not real butter? I am on a diet, hehe ) and I am automatically put into food coma of delishiousness.
Anyway, here is the recipe for the sinfully delish, German Chocolate Cake.. I am part German, so it is my nature to create German delicasies.. NOT...

German Chocolate Cake with Coconut and Pecan Frosting
For the cake:

2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 cup of butter (softened)
1 cup of sour cream
4 large eggs
4 ounces of sweet baking chocolate (melted)
1/2 cup of milk
3/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract

For the topping

3/4 cup of evaporated milk
1/2 cup of brown sugar
1/2 cup of butter
1 cup coconut (flaked)
1 cup pecans (chopped)

Instructions

To make the cake

First take a large bowl and combine the flour, sugar, salt, butter, baking soda, sour cream, milk, chocolate and vanilla in it.
Then beat the ingredients with a mixer until blended.
Now increase the mixer to high and beat for about 2 minutes longer.
Once that is done, use a spoon to put the batter into the 8-inch prepared pans.
Bake this in an oven that has been preheated to 350° for about 35 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
Leave the cake out to become cold.

To make the topping

Take a saucepan with evaporated milk, brown sugar, and butter and place it over a medium flame.
When it comes to a boil, remove it from the heat.
Then put in the pecans and coconut.
Now set this mixture aside to cool at room temperature.

Once the cake is cool, place one layer on a cake platter and spoon half of the coconut mixture onto the layer. Use the remaining topping to top the remaining cake layer.

Shadow in Serenity

Terri Blackstock's book, Shadow in Serenity . captured my interest when I was approached to give an honest review of her re-written fiction novel. Having been one of her loyal readers for many years now, I jumped at the chance to read another book,not even on book shelves.
I went into reading with no bias as to her writing, or her previous books - I wanted to know the Terri Blackstock before I knew her as a christian fiction writer - so it was a stepping out to see how her early days of writing compared to today.. After getting into the first few chapters, I realize there is not really much difference in her style, but there was it seemed like in the story line, and how it captured certain aspects of living for some people ..

Carny Sullivan, was a young mother, who has been on the conning end of cheating people, as was her family. She knew the streets well, and could spot a" fake "a mile ( or 200 ) away . Thus, when Logan Bristow, came calling in Serenity, Texas , and bumping into Carny, ex con artist, and beloved member of the town, something was bound to happen to expose this man as the con he was.. if she had anything to do about it.
The book centers around Bristow trying to dupe the trusting members of the tiny town into falling for his flamboyant charm, as he was trying to woo them into doing what he wanted at the expense of their bank accounts.
Carny didn't buy it, and never would - she was to much in the know about how he, and others like her family , operated, and she wanted to expose him for what he truly was, a con artist.

This is a story that Ms Blackstock wrote that captured love, and hardship.. It will draw the reader from the place of falling innocently for this con, but also to the place of Grace, as Carny takes you on a journey through love and how God can turn even the most conning life totally around.

Just like the question I asked myself when reading the book, I wondered how Carny would make Logan be seen as he truly was, and in the end, still be seen as a man willing to change, or be changed.. Shadow in Serenity was a very decent read, and one I would share with others who like clean Christian fiction, with a " moral to the story".. I didn't take long to read it once I got into the mindset of the characters, and I found myself interjecting even my own life at times into the person of Logan - because can't we all be con artists before God at times? though He knows when we do that?
I read this book without any problems, and knowing it was my honest review that is needed, I gladly give a 4 thumbs up in Terri Blackstock's penning it.

Dear Carnita.. where have you been all my life?

Ok, hands down , these are the best tacos around.. I was skeptical, I like my beef tacos.. Unfortunately, these are WAY better, and I will never look at tacos in the same way.. Just sayin', they are THAT good! And the raja's recipe at the bottom was perfect compliment! Nothing else was even needed for the tacos..
Carnita's ( Tacos )

Enjoy!

Ingredients

3 lbs boneless pork loin, cut into 1-inch pieces (or buy pre-cut pork stew meat)
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 to 2 jalapeños, minced (optional)
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 cup chicken stock

16 corn tortillas, warmed

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Toss pork with garlic, jalapeños, cumin, salt and pepper. In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add pork and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned on all sides, about 10 minutes.

Transfer to roasting pan and add orange juice, lime juice and chicken stock. Cover tightly (you don't want to lose the steam from a loose fitting lid) and place in oven for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until meat is very tender. If juices cook out, add more chicken stock.

Allow pork to cool and absorb remaining juices. Shred meat with a fork.

To serve, pass warmed tortillas and allow each person to make their own tacos.

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Basic Chile Poblano Rajas

You can use different peppers or seasonings but this is a good basic recipe, by Rick Bayless.

I N G R E D I E N T S
4 medium, fresh chiles poblanos, roasted and peeled ( I used canned whole green chiles, cut into strips )
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2/3 cup crema, whipping cream, or broth
1/2 teaspoon mixed dried herbs (thyme, Mexican oregano, marjoram)
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon (to taste, adjust as needed if using broth with salt)

I N S T R U C T I O N S
Chiles: Stem and seed the roasted chiles. You can remove the veins if you want a more mild rajas. Slice the chiles crosswise into 1/4" strips.

Heat the oil in a heavy sauté pan over medium heat and fry the onions until they brown, about 7 -8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and chile strips, cook 2 minutes.

Add the cream or broth, herbs, and bay leaves and simmer until the liquid reduces enough to just coat the vegetables. Remove the bay leaves, taste and adjust salt as needed.

Our Last Great Hope...

In reading Ronnie Floyd's latest book, " One Last Great Hope",

I was both glad to read it, as I have read a few other books he has penned ,and enjoyed reading them. But at the same time, in this latest book, it just didn't quite meet the flavor if you will, of his previous books.

I have met the Pastor on several occasions, while visiting friends of mine who attend his very large church in Arkansas. I have enjoyed during those times, drawing wisdom, biblical knowledge, as well as encouragement in my own walk with Christ. I very much appreciate his desire to bring others to Christ, in Northwest Arkansas, and the world, as he often says .
However, this book, I have to honestly say , was not just about finding the reasons to share Christ with the world, but it was seeming to bring the man, Ronnie Floyd , in more of the equation than I am comfortable in reading. Don't get me wrong, his heart is to serve the Lord, and minister hope to the nations. But there just seemed to be to much " me " in his writing this time, and that made it very difficult for me this time to want to complete reading the entire book. I did that, yes, but honestly, it was hard..

I do find it very convicting in what he shares, and it has drawn my own thoughts closer to what is the real deal for the church as a whole. Do we sit in the same pews, waiting on others to share the Gospel, or do we get moving ourselves, and live out what the Great Commission is really about?

While I don't necessarily believe I can fully endorse this book as a " great read" , I can say it will in some ways, challenge the reader , to look beyond their comfort zones of spirituality, and think for themselves what it means to " Be Jesus" to those whose only hope is to see others living faithfully, and honestly for the Lord. Sometimes, it is US who is Jesus to those who won't step inside the church door - whether because of personal shame, and experiences in life that Christians shy away form , or from experiences INSIDE the church where the only thing they might see, or hear is about money, or the " me, me, me's " that often times pastors project from the pulpit.

For a book to inspire, or to sit and read as you would any other reading , then this is good for that. But for a deeper read, using more scriptural references, then I would have to honestly say, it is not a great read for study.. It just seemed to me, to be , another man's views of what he feels the world of believers needs to hear..this is not a bad thing.. it is an important part of what readers need to hear from true , and strong believers in the Lord Jesus Christ..open transparency about the faith they have, and why it is lived out in the every day world in which they take part in.

Disclosure of Material Connection: Thomas Nelson Publishers sent me a free copy of this book as part of their bloggers book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Scrappy Happy Heart..a Friendship in the making..

A dear friend of mine loves dragonfly's.. she has MANY dragonfly's all over her house, her office, and I would suspect, in her dreams.. she simply loves, loves, loves those flittery ( is that a word? lol ) little creatures that make me smile in thinking about them.

I decided to do what my passion calls, and that was to make Jenn a quilt, because that is my passion. I might not be THAT good at it, yet, or proficient at making perfect seams, and mitred corners, but one thing I am good at is loving to create out of scraps for someone special.. even if I have not met them in person, or if they are recipients of quilts for donations which I have done to various organizations.

Jenn, well she is my very DEAR friend, whom I laugh with sometimes, vent to sometimes, threaten a tear with,sometimes.. She is one that relates to me, and I relate to her.. She is my friend whose presence in my life has greatly encouraged me every time we talk..

This quilt is for her

She loves blues, greens, and I love purple, so using my favorite way of cleaning house, I did it in a scrappy technique.. I had an old flannel sheet with a hole in it, and cut that up into squares to use as my foundation block. I then turned a pretty shade of " green" as I went thru my scrap basket , pulling out all the shades that eventually made up this strip quilt. I hope she likes it.. well I know she does, since I already showed her a photo of it. lol.. good thing too, because I am not wanting to re-clean my sewing room by her giving back all those pretty little scraps making up the colorful blocks. Shes my friend, yes, but I don't want her scraps!