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Gifts Made with Love
Here we are again, at the doorstep of another holiday that will likely be very different than years before. Christmas for most of us will be more subdued. There will be no office holiday parties, and likely no cookie exchanges. But that doesn’t mean you can’t still show your love and appreciation for family, friends and neighbors with a little something. In fact, maybe this year more than any other, we should show a little extra love, even if it’s a simple gesture. I have always loved gifts handmade with love and have shared a few with you in the past. Some of my favorites to make and share include…
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Summer Veggies
I love fresh veggies. Once upon a time, I attempted to grow some in our yard. But between the deer, squirrels, birds and caterpillars, I rarely got even a tomato without something else having nibbled it already. I surrendered and now I stick to flowering plants and bushes. Even these I need to defend from the bunnies. I now happily support our local farmers market. They do all the work and the end result is reasonably priced, beautiful seasonal produce. Right now, our market is just starting to get the goods, so to speak. Fresh berries are in season, but so are the perfect tiny sugar snap peas, fresh garlic,…
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Making the Best of It
It is now mid-May and life is still quite strange. Our schools are now officially closed for the school year, while classes continue online. Restrictions are slowly being lifted, but more rules are being put in place when you are in public. While we can go to the grocery store, you are requested to wear a mask, and follow arrows and stand on the right Xs on the floor. It is still a bit overwhelming, so I do still love the luxury of Instacart. It is quite nice to order my groceries and have them delivered to my door within 3 hours. There are some hiccups in the system, though.…
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Easy Pantry Meals
At this point in the Corona Virus quarantine, many of us are beginning to get downright bored by the contents of our own pantries. Most of us have run through our old standbys and probably tried some new things here and there. But at the same time, groceries are still not back in stock like they were before. Meat in particular is hit or miss at most stores. This seems like a perfect time to mix it up with some meatless meals. One of our family favorites is meatless and uses pantry staples most people have on hand – perfect for this kind of circumstance. I found One Pan Mexican…
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Sanity-Saving Snacks
I don’t think anyone will argue that these are trying times we are living in right now, with an international health crisis changing everything as we know it. When the news began to unfold, I was paying attention, but not panicking. I went to our local Costco last Tuesday and there were plenty of supplies, even with people beginning to stock up. I bought our normal amount of things, not for a moment thinking that by Thursday, the nation would have a shortage of toilet paper, cleaning supplies and many, many food items. With kids now home from school with no end date in sight and many parents working from…
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Bread, Beautiful Bread
My name is Melissa Joy, and I’m an addict. I am addicted to British TV. I love period dramas like “Downton Abbey”, and historical recreations like “The Crown”, but more than anything, I love a good cozy murder mystery. I get positively giddy when a new season of “Midsomer Murders” is available. Admittedly, this addiction is a tad troubling to my family. My husband is fairly certain I am taking notes for the perfect murder, should the need arise. But they can rest assured. Mainly, it just makes me want a nice cup of tea. Most recently, this habit has driven me to attempt to make homemade bread. I have…
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Apple Cider Bundt Cake
For some reason, probably Starbucks-driven, pumpkin spice is THE flavor for fall. But another flavor that makes its appearance this time of year is by far more delicious to me and that is apple cider. I LOVE apple cider. The smell and flavor evoke hay rides and bonfires. Apple cider also carries over nicely from Halloween fun to Thanksgiving festivities. I love apple cider doughnuts, muffins and cakes, so I thought I would play around with an easy apple cider Bundt cake recipe – something you can easily throw together but still looks impressive for holiday get-togethers. There are recipes out there for completely homemade, totally apply cakes, but I…
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Magic Breakfast Enchiladas
October is a busy month, and it also happens to be Pastor Appreciation Month. We love and appreciate our ministry staff at our church, Pastor Matt, Josh, Joshua, Jared and, of course, Lori, our fearless Ministry Assistant. I just realized they sound a bit like a band – Pastor Matt and the Three Js. Maybe next year we will make them t-shirts. But this year, being Southern Baptists, we are showing our love with food. I signed up to bring them a breakfast casserole for their weekly team meeting. Granted, there are many I have made before and love. But I like to try new things, so I poked around…
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Greek Chicken Wraps with Tzatziki Sauce
Last week, I shared with you an easy fish taco dinner idea with yummy lime cilantro sauce. In keeping with that theme, this week I thought I would share another simple, but delicious, dinner idea, featuring a wonderful sauce that can also be served as a dip. Our family loves Mediterranean food because it’s fresh, flavorful and good for you. It can be easy to make at home and customize to your liking. I love to add Greek seasoning to chicken and cook it on the stove top or grill it. A couple of years ago, I found a great Greek seasoning mix from The Spice & Tea Exchange that…
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Elevated Fish Stick Tacos
We are back into the normal swing of things, with our youngest daughter back to school. This means we are waking up at 6 am again and I am looking for fast and easy dinner options by the time 6 pm rolls around. This meal fits the bill quite nicely – nutritious, fast, but with a little flair. I ate my first fish tacos oceanside in Folly Beach, South Carolina, a few years ago. They were made with fresh, grilled fish, some crunchy, tangy Cole slaw, with a bit of spice and a bit of lime. They were simple and delicious. Since then, I have ordered them elsewhere and made…
