cottagesweetcottage-Al-Jazeera-America

Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I
am, therewith to be content.  -Philippians 4:11

 

But godliness with contentment is great gain. 

-I Timothy 6:6

 

Hubby and I had a great holiday. 

We've just moved back from over the pond and are still getting settled in and

buying things for our new place. 

Shopping has taken a front seat as we buy

Crackers never tasted so good! 


1 cup unsalted butter 

(Do NOT use margarine for this. 
Salted butter is Ok!)

1 cup brown sugar

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

40 saltine crackers
(approx 1 sleeve of crackers)



Line cookie sheet with foil or parchment paper.
If you are using foil then it's a good idea to spray with non stick spray.
Lay the saltines on cookie sheet in one layer

We've been so busy still settling in and preparing for our 5 hour trip to visit family this Christmas.  Time is flying! 





I've had a hankering for some down home comfort food and bread pudding certainly fills that desire! 

I've got to say that this recipe is big. 

I mean gargantuan big in a 13 by 9 pan!

It's great for a potluck or Christmas gathering.



Preheat oven to 325 and melt

Easy Peasy Potato Soup



I put this in the crock pot this morning and I was convinced that it wasn't going to be great.

But I was wrong! It was awesome! 

It was convenient and great for a busy day with limited time.  And just 5 ingredients!

If I were to do this again I would have doubled the recipe because it was that yummy! 







One can cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup

2

Genesis chapter 8:1a
And God remembered Noah,

As God remembered Noah God also remembers me. I am on God's mind.
 God didn't forget Noah and He hasn't forgotten me either.
 Noah had been on the ark for 7 months! I rarely hear people bring up the fact that Noah was hard at work because he surely was NOT on vacation.
  Maintaining and repairing the ark, feeding all of the animals, cleaning

Hubby and I do ALOT of laundry! 

I don't know how TWO people can do so much laundry but we surely do~ about a load a day! 

A good chunk of our weekly budget was going for laundry soap so I

started looking into making my own. 

I've never done anything like this before and, honestly,  never felt the need to either. 

I'd heard people talk about it before so I told my hubby what I'd

We've been having lots of old favorites here for meal time and more comfort food as the cooler weather sets in.   It's just seems easier to want to be inside cooking than it is in more temperate weather. 



Left to right~



Chorizo and Eggs

Arroz con Pollo (chicken with rice)

Homemade Pork Stew

Homemade Chicken Pot Pie









Have a wonderful week! 

Scripture
Genesis 5:24a
And Enoch walked with God

I am focusing on the first half of this scripture because it reallly speaks to me.
 Walking with God.
The God of the Universe.
The God who created me.
 The God who has every hair on my head numbered.
Wow! Incredible.
As Enoch walked with God so do I.
I remember walking arm and arm with my mother as a little girl.
It is such a

Here are some pics I took of our living room last week. 

Everything in the room we inherited from our friends who were previously living here which is awesome because we have no need to rush to paint and buy furniture quickly.  I love the no pressure tactic we are taking and the room looks nice already, doesn't it? 

 

We get lovely natural sunlight coming in our front windows and this is my

I've had this recipe for years  but I've tweeked it to my liking.   It's a quick fix and tasty too-





2 cans (tuna in water) drained very well

2 eggs

10 saltined crushed- or you can use bread crumbs. 

(I've even used Rice Krispies with great results)

onion chopped

salt and pepper to taste



Mix together all ingredients and make about 5 patties.

In hot oiled skillet fry till

Genesis 4:5
But unto Cain and to his offering he (God) had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.

This chapter is full of disrespect. Disrespect for God. The requirement of sacrifice was for Cain to bring an offering that was well pleasing to the Lord and he knew exactly what was required of him. But did he listen? No. He dissed God and offered something the Lord

Here are a few of the things we've been having for sustenance over here at these parts~  ;) 



Barbecue Beef Ribs, Sweet Potatoes and Veggies

Homemade Chicken Soup

Chicken and Broccoli Pie

Coffee Crumb Cake





What about you?  What recipes have you tried lately? 

Ingredients you'll need:

Oatmeal

Flour

Sugar

Shortening

Walnuts (optional)

cinnamon

One yellow (or white) cake mix (not shown)






In a large bowl scoop out about 1/2 cup shortening. 






Add some unprepared oatmeal- as little or as much as you like depending on your preference.






Add approximately the same amount of sugar.  No need to be a perfectionist.






Add about

 Genesis chapter 1 details the creation of the heaven and the earth.

When God created he said that it was good. There was no bad- none at all. And (vs 31) after creating the world God looked upon his creation and said it was VERY good. How amazing that God didn't think it was so so. It wasn't tolerable. It was not only good- it was VERY good!


God's creation tells of Him. God doesn't

Since I decided on a red 'Sweetheart' Kitchen I knew I wanted a container for onions and fruits to sit on the counter.  I found one at Target but it was more of a salmon color and not a deep cherry red. 

  

I found a wire white basket at the thrift store and the lightbulb went off. 

I had already had some spray paint and I knew it would be a perfect substitution

at less than 1/5th of the

Genesis Chapter 11:4-6

And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven;
and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.

And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower,
which the children of men builded.

And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language;
and this they begin

I am so grateful to the Lord for this Thanksgiving and have so many things to be thankful for!  Thanksgiving isn't just one day out of the year but it is a walking and breathing life of Thankfulness to the Lord day in and day out. 



I almost lost my hubby 8 months ago (has it really been that long?)  when he had three brain aneurysms and a brain hemmorhage at the age of 49.  He had two brain

Isn't my porcelain sink just beautiful??? 
I've not had a porcelain sink in SO long that I forgot how lovely they are! 
It literally gleams!

 


 This week I'm working on the bedroom.  

 I've arranged and cleaned the kitchen and living room and have done very little in the bedroom.  

It seems that since no guests go in the rear of the home that it is the last room to always get done.

I recently made something that I haven't made in nearly 2 decades!
Much too long isn't it? 
 Mexican Wedding Cookies bring back wonderful memories of festive parties when I was a kid growing up in Los Angeles. 

Easy ingredients and a cinch to put together!!

  



 Mexican Wedding Cookies

325* oven



1 cup butter~ room temperature

1/2 cup regular sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups

Luke 5 4-6



4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water, and let down[b] the nets for a catch."



5 Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets."



6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.





Jesus told the disciple

Have you ever heard of SOAP journaling? 
It's a wonderful (and easy!) way to do daily devotions and help keep you focused on the Lord. 
Although I don't follow the prescribed dates
(I really should and might do that at the beginning of the  year)
I still use it as a regular part of my devotions. 

Here's a rundown on SOAP journaling and I encourage to you to grab
a notebook and pen and try

About three weeks ago I had a burst of inspiration!   I was on Pinterest and saw this link and thought how utterly cute and perfect!  My new (to me) kitchen would fit this theme perfectly and at that very instant I knew I wanted a red Sweetheart Kitchen!  When I went to Walmart the other day I saw some red check shelf liner and knew that it would make me smile every time I opened the cabinets. 

And so life begins...again! 



We've relocated and have landed in the Chicago Heights part of this earthly world.  We've left dear companions and friends in Asia where we spent over 8 years of our life to venture out to this new territory where God has placed and us and will allow us to labor for the next season of our life.



As we start anew there are many challenges that will come our way.