English Emma Blooms

I REALLY enjoyed our Taste of Mops meeting.  It was fun to be able to try so many great recipes at once. ;And now I’m ready to start making some at home, and I’m guessing you are too. Ladies, Thanks again for bringing in such tasty stuff.  I know how hard it is to just get out the door with your kids for the meetings, much less come with a dish in hand.  Thanks for helping to make it a great meeting.  It was also so nice to hear how much our group means to so many of you.  I LOVE MOPS! Looking forward to seeing you & your kiddos at the parks this summer! In Him, Natalie  

* Document a regular day in your life -- the household in the morning, the place you buy your coffee before work/school/ playing at the park, the goings on in your office/living room, the lunch hour, snack time, nap time, your husband getting home from work, preparing and eating dinner, the evening hours, getting ready for bed and just before the lights go out. (adapted from www.52projects.com)

Play Do 2 ½ C flour ½ C salt 2 pkgs unsweetened Kool-Aid 2 C boiling water 2 Tbsp oil Combine and knead as it cools.  Add flour if needed. Smells fruity rather than like icky play do!!

One bag (about 2lbs) of the hashbrown potatoes one can cream of chicken soup 1 pint of sour cream (I used sour cream with chives this time) about a fourth of a cup of minced onions 2 cups shredded cheese (your choice...I used a "casserole blend") salt and pepper to taste 3-4 T of melted butter and this time I actually fried a few slices of bacon and crumbled them into it as well...totally optional bake uncovered at 350 for 45-60 minutes.  If the top starts looking too brown I put a piece of foil on it, but let it crisp up at the end. I hope you enjoy!  Thanks! Angie

Play Dough Cookies 3/4 C butter 3 ounces cream cheese 1 cup white sugar 1 egg 1 t vanilla extract 2 and 3/4 C flour 1 t baking powder 1/4 t salt assorted food coloring (gel or paste works best) ... 1. In a bowl cream butter, cream cheese and sugar until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla. Beat until smooth. 2. In a bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture. Stir until soft dough forms. Divide dough into Fourths. Tint each with a different food coloring. Wrap in plastic and chill for two hours. (I stuck it in the freezer for 15 minutes because I hate to wait!) 3. Preheat oven to 350. Shape colors into 3/4 inch balls. For each cookie place one pink, one orange, one green, and one blue ball together and roll to make one giant ball. Roll into a 12 inch long snake, and then starting at one end coil roll to make a cookie. Place cookies 2 to 3 inches apart on greased cookie sheet to allow for spreading. 4. Bake for 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Coo...

Watch your words...they become your actions. Watch your actions...they become your habits. Watch your habits...they become your character. Watch your character...it becomes your legacy."

Nanaimo Bars Variations, From the Kitchen of: Lana Bistritz Named after the city of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, these are a fixture at every Canadian bake sale, wedding shower, etc INGREDIENTS Base: 1/2 cup butter 1/4 cup sugar 5 Tbsp cocoa powder 1 egg, lightly beaten 1 tsp vanilla 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs 1 cup shredded coconut 1/2 cup chopped walnuts Filling: 1/3 cup butter 3 Tbsp custard powder, Bird's brand (or substitute vanilla jello pudding powder) 1/4 cup milk 3 cups icing sugar Topping: 8 ounces semisweet chocolate 2 Tbsp butter DIRECTIONS Base: melt butter in heavy saucepan. Stir in sugar and cocoa until smooth. Whisk egg with vanilla and stir into butter mixture. Remove from heat. Stir in crumbs, coconut and nuts. Press evenly over bottom of greased 9" square pan. Chill until set, at least 20 min. Filling: Beat butter with wooden spoon until light. Beat in custard powder and milk. Gradually beat in sugar. Spread over chilled base and let set in fr...

Chocolate Syrup Cake   From the Kitchen of: Stephanie Simpson INGREDIENTS Cake: 1 stick of butter 4 eggs 1 Cup sugar 1 Cup flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 can (16 oz.) Hershey's chocolate syrup   Topping: 1 stick of butter 1 Cup of sugar 1/2 Cup evaporated milk 1 teaspoon vanilla        Cream butter and add sugar.  Cream well.  Add eggs, beaten slightly.  Mix in flour.   sifted with baking powder.  Add the chocolate syrup and mix well for about a minute.  Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and punch holes in top with a wooden toothpick or fork.  Punch holes all over cake Cool completely.   Topping: Melt butter in pan over low heat.  Add sugar, milk and vanilla.  Bring to a boil stirring constantly.  Cook slowly for 10 minutes.  Remember to keep stirring constantly.   Nuts may be added, if desired.  Pour over cooled cake.

Death By Chocolate   From the Kitchen of: Gayle Collins INGREDIENTS 1 recipe of chocolate brownies (9x13 pan) – baked 2 pkg. Chocolate Mousse – prepared 1 large container of Cool Whip (16 oz) 8 Heath bars – crushed 1 cup pecans – chopped   Prepare brownies.  Crumble and place half in large bowl (a clear glass bowl is great   for this dessert).  Prepare mousse and divide into 2 portions.   Spread half of mousse over brownies.  Spread half of the Cool Whip over the mousse.  Sprinkle nuts and Heath bars over Cool Whip.  Repeat all steps.  Refrigerate and allow to set several hours or overnight for flavors to “mingle”!!         

Strawberry Jello Cake (very low fat!) From the Kitchen of: Natalie Schneider INGREDIENTS 1 angel food cake, cut into 1-2” squares 16oz bag frozen strawberries 6oz pkg strawberry jello 1 ½ cup boiling water 1 tub cool whip (red fat ok) Puree strawberries in blenders, ½ bag at a time.  In large bowl, mix jello w/ 1 ½ cup Boiling water.  Add strawberries.  Chill until mixture starts to thicken. Put just Enough of mixture to coat bottom of angel food cake pan.  Dip each piece of cake in strawberry mixture and place in cake pan.  Chill until set.  Remove from pan by Setting pan in very warm water until edges loosen and cake will slide onto plate When upside down.  Serve with whip cream.  

Cheddar Raspberry Pie   From the Kitchen of: Lisa Masri   INGREDIENTS 1lb. sharp cheddar cheese, grated or shredded   1c, chopped pecans 1 c. chopped green onions including the green ends 1c. mayo (not low fat) raspberry preserves   Mix cheese, pecans, onions & mayo together.  Flatten it into a pie dish ( I put saran   wrap in first and the cheese mixture on top of the saran... this makes it easier to get out).  Chill, then turn out onto a platter and spread with raspberry preserves. Serve with crackers.    

 Almost Key Lime Pie   From the Kitchen of: Amie Paradise   INGREDIENTS 1 store-bought graham cracker crust   1 14-oz can Carnation sweetened condensed milk (non-fat if you want) 1/2 cup fresh lime juice (key limes work best result) OR 1 can frozen lime juice 1 tub of Cool Whip (non-fat if you want)   Mix milk and lime juice until combined. Chill until set. Top with Cool Whip, either   entire pie or a dollop for each slice.  If you use key limes, slice a few and decorate top.               

INGREDIENTS 1 (2 lb.) bag frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed 1 tsp. salt 1 can condensed cream of chicken OR cream of mushroom soup 1/2 cup melted butter 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese 1/4 tsp. pepper 1/2 c chopped onion (or 1 tbsp dried minced onion) 8 oz. sour cream 2 cups crushed cornflakes 1/4 cup melted butter Preheat oven to 350.  Combine all ingredients except cornflakes and ¼ cup butter; mix well and pour into buttered 9 x 13 inch pan. Sprinkle cornflakes over top and drizzle with ¼ cup melted butter.  Bake for 45 minutes.  

INGREDIENTS 1/4 cup butter 1 T flour 2 tsp chicken bouillon 3/4 tsp dried basil leaves 1/4 tsp garlic powder 1/8 tsp pepper 1 cup each of half-and-half and Milk 1 lb bow-tie pasta 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese Optional Toppings: bacon, grilled chicken, mushrooms, broccoli... In saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in flour, bouillon, basil, garlic from powder, and pepper. Gradually add cream and milk. Cook, stirring occasionally, until bouillon dissolves and sauce thickens. Usually takes ~15min. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions and drain. Place pasta in a large bowl. Remove sauce heat and stir in cheese. Pour sauce over hot pasta; toss to coat.  

Baked Beans   From the Kitchen of: Sara Molendorp INGREDIENTS 2- 15 oz cans of Pork and Beans (not Baked Beans)- I use VanCamp's Pork and Beans 1 small package bacon (about 6 slices) 1/2 onion diced 1/3 c ketchup 1 or 1.5 Tb yellow mustard (squirt, not dry) 2-3 Tbs brown sugar 1tsp Worcestershire (optional) Dice bacon and fry it in a skillet.  1/2 way through cooking, add the onion and fry along with the bacon.  When done, use a slotted spoon to scoop the bacon and onion out (drain as much of the fat as you can).  Put beans in a mixing bowl (take out the lump of "pork" from each can).  Add the bacon, ketchup, mustard and brown sugar.    For sweeter beans, add more brown sugar, for more tangy add more ketchup. Mix   well and put in a casserole dish. Bake in a casserole dish (9x9 or larger) at 350    for 1 hour or until the top crusts over slightly and thickens up.  For a shorter bake   time of ~40 min, drain the beans a bit before mixing in the ingredients

Five Can Casserole From the Kitchen of: Angie Dewey INGREDIENTS 1 can chicken with rice soup         1 can cream of mushroom soup 1 can crispy chow mein noodles 1 small can evaporated milk 1 can chicken (or 2 cups cooked, cubed chicken) Put all together in greased casserole.  Top with potato chips or French fried onions.   Bake uncovered at 350 for 30 minutes.  

Burrito Pie INGREDIENTS 2 pounds ground beef 1 onion, chopped 2 teaspoons minced garlic 1 (2 ounce) can black olives, sliced (if desired) 1 (4 ounce) can diced green chili peppers (if desired) 1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chili peppers 1 (16 ounce) jar taco sauce 2 (16 ounce) cans refried beans 12 (8 inch) flour or corn tortillas 9 ounces shredded Colby cheese Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté the ground beef for 5 minutes. Add the onion and garlic, and sauté for 5 more minutes. Drain any excess fat, if desired. Mix in the olives, green chili peppers, tomatoes with green chili peppers, taco sauce and refried beans. Stir mixture thoroughly, reduce heat to low, and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.  Spread a thin layer of the meat mixture in the bottom of a 4 quart casserole dish. Cover with a layer of tortillas followed by more meat mixture, then a layer of cheese. Repeat tortilla, meat, cheese pattern until all th...

Sheri Rose Shepherd

That I am number 1!

For mother’s day we did everything my way (for the most part).  We walked to and from church and when for a bike ride/roller blade in the afternoon.  Joel can go fast now on his bike.... but not as fast as me!  It won’t be long until he can beat me though.   Aaron made us a lunch of peanut butter sandwiches and a dinner of Chicken Caesar salad with cheesecake for dessert.  How did he know?   I told him!  I love mother’s day!

You will never truly know yourself, or the strength of your relationships, until both have been tested by adversity.  Such knowledge is a true gift...It is painfully won, and it has been worth more to me than any qualification I ever earned." -from J.K. Rowling's 2008 Harvard commencement address

One only has so much time in this world, so devote it to the work and the people most important to you, to those you love and things that matter.  One can waste half a lifetime with people one doesn't really like or doing things when one would be better off somewhere else." Louis L'amour, Ride the River

well, there is such a thing as water.  Men feel sexual desire: well, there is such a thing as sex.  If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy,  the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world." C.S. Lewis

St. Augustine of Africa

Charlotte Bronte in Jane Eyre

Matthew 6:33 "...if...you seek the Lord your God, you will find Him if you look for Him with  all your heart and with all your soul. When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you, then in later days you will return to the Lord your God and obey Him.  For the Lord your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon...you..." Deuteronomy 4:29

The excitement never stops at Chez Kalinowski. When Joel woke up from his nap, Grandma was here! We dragged the spoils of his birthday out to the back yard. Then Grandma pulled out a whole bunch of presents she got for Joel! fter playing with his Lego (me), we went to Abuelos for dinner, where we had a very slow and apologetic waiter who shared too much. The food was very tasty and Grandma kindly treated us all.                               I enjoyed taking pics of the prom party yonder.

Every year, since his fist birthday, we have had Joel's birthday outside in our back yard and let him  invite as many people as he pleased.   This year was the first that promised.. PROMISED... rain.    My Mops group said that they would faithfully pray for good weather.   Although I believed that they would pray, I was not sure that my needs held the most weight and that perhaps someone else was praying for rain and had a more noble cause than a 5 year old birthday party.... so, Friday Night I panicked and set up a birthday party for Joel at Chuck-e-Cheese.  Phew! It worked out well as Joel had always wanted a party there and I told him he never would... HA HA HA HA. All his friends had a great time too, and Joel loves the person dressed up as Chuck-e-Cheese. The pizza even tasted good! Did it rain? It was a beautiful, sunny and DRY day. blog