One Last Thanksgiving Recipe, and a story, of course...

(okay, so this picture has absolutely nothing to do with this post,

but isn't he cute? All I had time to take pictures of, apparently, were him!)

I know this recipe is late, but believe me, you're gonna want to try it, and probably soon. Like Wednesday. The good news is that this recipe stores in the refrigerator well, so you can make it ahead (you just might need to make an extra trip to the grocery store and battle the crowds, but it's worth it baby!)

To sum up as fast as I can (hey, I've got baking to do too!),

the story goes like this (in a run-on sentence):

Rachel, Luke's oldest sister, up and got married in October, three days after Luke and I flew back into San Antonio from Hawaii, a trip which was planned way before Rachel even fell in love with Brett (which I rudely reminded her several times); Luke ( as I mentioned previously) volunteered our services to cook for the Rehearsal Dinner, and since our family is stock full of planners (not really, we just leave that to Rachel and Brett) we had a "mock" dinner the month before, at which I served these Pumpkin Cheesecake Crumble Squares, which were loved and caressed and savored, so on the menu they went; along with Cranberry Pear Walnut Feta Salad (to go along with the run-on sentence), Luke's Amazingly Marinated Grilled Beef Tenderloin, Olive Oil and Lemon Grilled Asparagus, Cilantro Rice, and Sister Shubert's Rolls (which, by the way, if you haven't had these, check them out in the I hate to say freezer section at the grocery, they are amazing!!!) --deep breath--so on the plane ride back from our paradise vacation I completed the list I had been dreaming about for days, made a timed schedule for the final day, and geared up for the craziness of the next few days...that evening we shopped like crazy, the next day I cooked 6 batches of afore mentioned Cilantro Rice, and the next day we cut, snapped, salted, drizzled, checked off lists, packed the car, double checked, emergency run to Sam's, and headed to the Rehearsal, where my helpers (thanks Dian, Stephanie, Mercy, Lindsey, and all the brothers, and of course Mrs. Mollenkopf) helped in amazing fashion to pull off, if I do say so myself, an amazingly relaxed, tasty, dinner for 50.

Okay, I think I might go to bed right now I'm so exhausted just typing that....

So here's one of the dessert recipes which goes well with the season; Steph made this for the actual event, thankfully, and it was Rachel's favorite ( the others I might post later, which include Pecan Bars and Cranberry Oat Bars)

Pumpkin Cheesecake Crumble Squares (found on epicurious.com)

Crust:

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, diced
• 1 cup pecan halves (about 4 ounces)
• 3/4 cup old-fashioned oats

Filling:

• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
• 3/4 cup canned pure pumpkin
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger

Topping:

• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

preparation

For crust:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter 9x9x2-inch metal baking pan. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Using on/off turns, blend first 4 ingredients in processor until coarse meal forms. Add pecans; using on/off turns, process until nuts are chopped. Add oats; process using on/off turns until mixture is moistened but not clumping. Press 3 1/2 cups crumbs onto bottom of prepared square pan (do not clean processor). Transfer remaining crumbs to lined baking sheet. Bake crumbs on sheet until golden, stirring once, about 12 minutes. Cool crumbs. Bake crust until golden, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven while preparing filling. Maintain oven temperature.

For filling:
Blend all ingredients in same processor until smooth. Spread filling over warm crust; bake until set, dry in center, and beginning to rise at edges, about 20 minutes. Maintain oven temperature.

For topping:
Mix all ingredients in small bowl. Spread evenly over hot filling. Bake until topping sets and bubbles at edges, about 5 minutes. Cool completely in pan on rack. Sprinkle crumbs over topping; gently press into topping. Cover; chill until cold, about 2 hours. Do ahead Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled. Cut into squares.

Muffins and Mouros

The Mouros, our dear friends from N.C. Luke and Cameron did their

residency together, and Laura and I were instant friends.

Amidst the flurry of weddings, traveling, and family living with us this summer, we had a few friendly visitors along the way. And when I say a few, there were two nights in particular that come to mind. On those nights we had 20 people sleeping here. Yep. That's not a typo. It's a memory!

So since Naomi and I love to cook together, why not throw 10 more people into the mix? We needed some spice in our life! My dear friend Laura from North Carolina, her husband, 7 lovely children, and a friend came to town in July and needed a place to stay. So I asked Naomi how she'd feel about a whole other family cramming in with us for 2 nights. It went like this, "If you're up for it, I'm up for it. Totally. Let's do it." And we did.

What a delight! Oh my goodness, it was fun (Tiring, yes, but who cares? Sleep is overrated anyway!). The guests arrived a tad early one night, so we threw together 2 dinners, thanks to Naomi and her pizza-making skills. Most of my family and Naomi's slept upstairs, and then we hung a sheet between the playroom and the living room, and stuck 6 kids in there on the floor, and then the parents on the couch in the living room. It really was quite cute peeking in on the children and seeing a row of little bodies all tucked in with every last one of our blankets and pillows. God is so good! It was like the loaves and the fishes. I mean, who has enough bedding to cover up 20 bodies? I don't, but I did. God just made it stretch; seriously.

So what do you feed 13 hungry children for breakfast (not to mention the grown-ups)? Muffins and fruit. Simple. And then make lots of coffee, and get in some really good conversations with the grown ups. It worked, and it was wonderful. I love how God has given me wonderful friends in every place that I've lived; the kind you keep up with no matter where you are (and Laura is now in Michigan!)

So, the next time you're faced with a whole house load of guests, just remember, the more the merrier. And really, it all works out great.

This is one of the muffin recipes we made ahead and served for breakfast...I can't wait to do it again...

Pumpkin Apple Muffins

(from Epicurious.com, with some changes)

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour*

1 cup all purpose flour*

* can use all white flour, that's what I did.

1 T. pumpkin pie spice

1 1/4 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup canned solid pumpkin puree

1/2 cup veg. oil

2 eggs

1 cup apple (peeled, cored, and diced)

Topping

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 T. all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans)

1/4 cup chilled butter (1/2 stick)

Preheat oven to 350. Grease muffin pans to make 18 muffins. Sift first 4 ingredients. Stir sugar, pumpkin, oil and eggs in large bowl until well mixed. Mix in dry ingredients and apples. Place equal amounts of batter in muffin tins.

For topping: Combine brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and nuts in small bowl. Cut in butter with fingers until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle topping over muffins. Bake until muffins are golden brown and tester inserted in middle comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool.

A Little Rice Mixed With Life (a wordy post)

(the cousins, in normal form...)

It's hard to get back into blogging when you've abandoned it for so long. Part of me wants to call it quits and close up shop. The other part of me has a notebook full of ideas and no real sense of where to begin. It's like an empty journal just staring you in the face, making you nervous about writing in it because you don't want to spoil it. Alas, I feel I must write. My life has been too full of details over the last 5 months to let them slip through the cracks.

I discovered a new recipe this summer (well really, I first tasted it in Spain) when my sister-in-law and her husband and three darling children came to live with us. Her sweet, cuddly, funny, sometimes loud little family lived with us for 6 weeks this summer, and we had many an opportunity to bump into each other in the kitchen. They were good, friendly bumps, mind you...we love cooking together! And so it seems I was always peering over her shoulder, "How do you do that?" or "Don't do that step 'til I get there, I have to see you do it," and on and on. Naomi's an amazing cook, and I savor every moment of learning from her (of course the learning isn't just about cooking--the cooking is just the means, you know?)

So she has this amazing "Cilantro Rice" recipe, that I'm sure she put together out of her own culinary genius. So I watched and learned, and attempted some, but her's was always better. She served it with some amazing beef (I need that recipe, too!), and it pretty much accompanied any other lonely main dish that needed a side.

But then she left. Bummer. Now I have to do it all by myself. So I practiced, like every week. And added my own twists and turns, probably just because I couldn't exactly remember how she did it. And then it got better and better. And then somehow or other my husband volunteered his (my) services to make the Rehearsal Dinner for Rachel's wedding (which was in October and is a whole other story!). And of course, Cilantro Rice got put on the menu.

So all this to say, rice was sort of my life this summer! Mixed with family, lots of family, and some friends along the way. Now, it's totally possible that I've just blown this rice way out of proportion; I mean, it's just rice, right? Suffice it to say, I think it's the memories that came along with it that makes it close to my heart.

So after all this rambling, are you interested in the recipe? Just remember, if it doesn't turn out for you, you need at least 10 people staying at your home, and maybe a few extra visitors here and there to make it really work.

Cilantro Rice

2 cups Jasmine Rice (important)

3/4 medium onion, diced

3 garlic cloves (peeled, left whole, and removed before serving)

1/2 bunch cilantro (trimmed off the stalks)

juice of 1 lime

3 1/2 cups total of chicken broth combined with the lime juice

1 tsp salt (about, to taste)

olive oil

Process the cilantro with the broth/lime juice. Set aside. Drizzle olive oil into a saucepan, almost to cover bottom. Saute' onions and garlic in oil, til clear. Add rice, stir just a bit, and add broth/cilantro mixture and salt. Bring to a boil, stir, and cover and cook for 13 minutes. Test to make sure rice is done, and add a few minutes if necessary. When finished, turn off burner, and leave lid slightly open on pan to let out the steam. After about 5-10 minutes, fluff with a fork, remove garlic cloves, and serve.

4 P's of Hospitality

Hospitality for me is not just an occasional dinner guest. In fact, that is more rare for us. It usually consists of out of town guests, whether they be friends or family. Either way, they both require some thought. So here's a shortened list of tips I've gathered along the way....

from no expert, just some good experiences....

1) Plan, Plan, Plan

~ Make a little chart for the days your guests will be there, divided into meal and snack times (including whether you'll be home or out), and fill in the blanks...

2) Purchase, Purchase, Purchase

~ Try to purchase all your grocery needs ahead of time so no last minute runs to the store have to interrupt good visiting time (although a little run to the store with your friend, along with a "quick" coffee, while the daddies watch the kids is pretty fun!)

3) Prepare, Prepare, Prepare

~I've learned through trial and error that making the meals, or portions of the meals, ahead of time and freezing them makes life so much easier! For example, if you're planning to make chicken enchiladas, make the filling ahead of time, and the rice, and freeze, and then all you have to do is assemble; or for breakfast make muffins and freeze, and have hard boiled eggs in the frig.

~Learn a good easy pizza or foccacia dough recipe, and have fun toppings on hand (recipe to follow)

~Something else to think about is whether the meals you're planning are the right ones for that time. For instance, you might know that you make a mighty awesome French souffle', accompanied by lightly grilled asparagus with individual tartlets for dessert...but who are you trying to impress? Make a good, satisfying, simple meal and all will be pleased. Save the fanciness for a late night date with hubby!

and last, but certainly not least (and to complete my P's of hospitality),

4) Pray, Pray, Pray

~ I always have to remember to pray both for the time we will have, that it will be encouraging and relaxing for my guests, and also that my attitude would be gracious and that my heart would not be full of complaining (i.e. "there stuff is everywhere!", or "how much does this family eat?"...)

And remember, "Be hospitable to one another without grumbling,"

1 Peter 4:9

my cute little niece and my kiddos, for your enjoyment!

Naomi's Foccacia Bread

2 c. warm water

2 c. flour

2 tsp. dry yeast

Mix into a slightly lumpy batter.

Add: 2 tsp. salt, 2 c. flour. Mix. Batter should be moist and still slightly lumpy.

Do not knead. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place 1-2 hours. When doubled, transfer to a slightly oiled sheet with fingers dipped in olive oil. Spread on cookie sheet to about 1/2 in. thickness. Prick with a fork. Top with anything (coarse salt, pepper, garlic, fresh rosemary, olives, tomatoes.) Bake at about 375 for 10-15 minutes. (if using as a pizza crust, bake for 8-10 minutes, just until a bit firm, then top with toppings, then bake again.)

Thankful for Visitors

With racks of muffins and freezer bags lining my counter tops and stuffing my freezer, I've been reminded of the joy that comes along with planning for hospitality...memories of sweet time spent with good friends, and the anticipation of good times spent with family. Yesterday my brother, his wife, their precious little baby girl (hence, my niece), and also my Aunt Judy arrived in town for a visit, and I'm excited. But last week we enjoyed time with Aunt Mercy, and also a visit from a dear friend Julie, whom I've known for a very long time, along with her 4 sweet children.

With racket from all sorts of childhood games being played all throughout the house, it's a wonder that Julie and I even got one sentence finished. But we were ruthless in our desire for deep conversation, and we made it happen, by golly! And it was soooo good. The thing I love about my friend Julie is that I can always count on her for sound, Biblical advice; good questions to probe deeper into my heart to check my motives, and kind encouragement to do the right, sometimes even hard things. And I also love that she loves chocolate cake and coffee...

The time was good, and I'm missing her and other dear friends that are far away. We wondered together why it seems like some of our dearest friends live in other places around the country or even the world. "Maybe it's so we won't get tired of each other," I proposed. Or maybe, just maybe it's so that we draw closer to the Lord than to our human relationships.

the bigger kids having craft time