Ending 2017 with My Loves

The last Sunday of the year and one more opportunity for the boy to teach a room full of kids.  Today Caleb took the kids through 1 Samuel chapters 17 and 18 as God granted David success.  

We took off last week for Christmas but I didn't want to skip two class two weeks in a row. I was delighted that so many kids showed up for class despite the holidays! 

I've gotten spoiled having Caleb home to help teach class for me.  I'm going to miss that kid when he heads back to college! 

The Lord will keep you from all harm—

    he will watch over your life;

the Lord will watch over your coming and going

    both now and forevermore.

Psalm 121:7-8

Harry Connick, Jr. Concert

My Christmas gift from my sweet husband was tickets to tonight's Harry Connick, Jr. concert!  Pretty sweet, I know! 

Frankie, Caleb and Abigail were on their own for the evening while Jon and I slipped up to the Winstar in Oklahoma.  The concert venue is about 3,500 people and is very family friendly no smoking, no vaping, and no alcohol! 

Harry and his silky smooth voice did not disappoint!  One of the best concerts, bar none!  Thank, Jon! 

Now to get back to Texas for Bible Bowl in the morning before I turn into a pumpkin! 

And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

Colossians 3:14

Canning P.F. Chang Copycat Lettuce Wrap Filling

My favorite menu item at P.F. Chang’s is their amazing lettuce wraps.  We'e made a copy cat version of their recipe at home with the chicken, water chestnuts and delicious sauce!  Healthy and so delicious! The wraps can be a little messy so occasionally I prepare the meat mixture and serve over a bed of lettuce making an easier to eat Asian salad.

The only down side to cooking the Lettuce Wraps is they require a lot of dicing and chopping. If only there was a way to chop up  a large quantity and preserve it for future meals!  Oh wait, there is, pressure canning.

So I began researching the ingredients to make sure they were all USDA approved for canning.  Chicken whole or diced can safely be canned.  There is no approved method for canning ground chicken. It is probably just as safe to can ground chicken but no research was done on ground poultry because it just wasn’t a thing back when the research was done. So for my recipe I diced up six pounds of skinless, boneless chicken breast.

Lettuce Wrap Filling:
6 lb. chicken boneless skinless breast
1 lb. white button mushrooms (diced)
4 – 8 oz. cans of Water Chestnuts (diced)
3 bunches of green onions (diced)
4 Tablespoons oil (for cooking chicken)

Sauce: 
6 cups water
1 ½ cups white granulated sugar
2 ¼ cups soy sauce
¾ cup Rice Vinegar
1 ½ t. Fish Sauce
3 t. Spicy Asian Mustard
4 T. Sriracha Hot Sauce
4 t. minced garlic
3 T. Hoisin Sauce

Begin by dicing raw chicken and cooking it in a skillet with oil.  While the chicken is cooking dice up the water chestnuts, green onions, and mushrooms. Because I was working with six pounds of chicken, I cooked it in small batches and then placed the cooked chicken in the 6-Quart Crock Pot on low to keep it warm until canning.

To make the sauce, whisk all ingredients together and heat. I prepared them in my Instant Pot heating on low.

To pressure can:  Prepare your Pressure Canner and heat jars and lids in simmering water until ready for use.

To each Ball Pint Jars layer the following: 1 cup cooked chicken, ½ cup diced mushrooms, ¼ cup diced green onions and ¼ cup chopped water chestnuts. Do not pack too tight, you want the air pockets to fill with the sauce.

Ladle the hot sauce into the jars, using a Bubble Remover to help the sauce slip into all the air pockets. Leave 1 inch headspace.  Wipe jar rims with vinegar. Apply band and adjust until fit is fingertip tight.  Process the filled jars in a pressure canner at 10 pounds pressure 1 hour and 15 minutes for pints and 1 hour and 30 minutes for quarts, adjusting for altitude.

To serve after the filling has been canned, open a jar and heat on the stove.  With a slotted spoon serve the chicken filling on a bed of lettuce.  The sauce is your dipping sauce or salad dressing if you are serving it as an Asian salad.  For a crunchy topping serve with Chow Mein Noodles!

I bet you can't guess what we're having for dinner!

Do not crave his delicacies,

    for that food is deceptive.

Proverbs 23:3

One More Birthday

It seems like we've been celebrating my birthday for a few weeks but it's not everyday that a girl turns 50! Today was my favorite celebration, the small quiet celebration with my sweet family.  

Jon and the kids prepared my birthday breakfast in bed complete with bacon, eggs and fried toast! Yum! We all piled in our bed and opened gifts and cards and by all I mean all, even Padme' made up on the bed too.  

There was still a big birthday cake from Abigail's celebration yesterday so I was happy with a cupcake topped with candles! 

A perk of having holiday birthdays it that Caleb is home to join in the celebration! 50 years of life have been pretty fantastic, I'm looking forward to the next 50 or so! 

My son, do not forget my teaching,

    but keep my commands in your heart,

2 

for they will prolong your life many years

    and bring you peace and prosperity.

Proverbs 3:1-2

Happy Birthday, Baby Girl!

The baby girl turned 17 today! It doesn't seem possible!  The celebration began with our tradition of breakfast in bed.  The birthday girl requested bacon and eggs on thin bagels served with chocolate milk of course! 

We goofed off around town taking advantage of birthday discounts at some of her favorite stores.  It was a good day celebrating one of my favorite people! 

Listen, daughter, and pay careful attention:

    Forget your people and your father’s house.

Let the king be enthralled by your beauty;

    honor him, for he is your lord.

Psalm 45:10-11

At the Movies

Growing up every holiday included a family visit to the movies.  I have lots of great memories of Star Wars, E.T., Indian Jones and so many more! In keeping with that tradition we headed to the theater, today's feature was the remake of Jumanji.  

The movie was a fun remake but a little too much profanity and off-color humor that added nothing to continuing the story.  

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Ephesians 4:29

Christmas Morning

This Christmas I got everything I wanted which was my three babies safely home for Christmas! Sure the presents and goodies are great but all three babies home is the best!  To Frankie's delight Santa ate all his cookies and drank his Dr. Pepper, but that silly Santa still never rinses off his dishes! 

Padme' was undisturbed by all the commotion.  Santa remembered to bring chocolate covered cherries! And he stuffed the kids stockings with goodies.  

After a delicious ham dinner we played some board games.  One of our favorites is Say Anything a game where the group is asked a question and everyone writes down their answer on a dry erase card.  Frankie had us in stitches throughout the game.  One question was, "What would be the most fun thing to push off a building?"  Most answers were 'watermelon' or 'water balloons.' But Frankie's answer, 'Bad Guys!'  

Another question was 'What super power do you wish you had?' Again, common answers, 'invisibility' or 'super speed.'  But Frankie's answer, 'Stretchy Arms!'  She had us laughing hysterically most of the afternoon! We also played several rounds of Apples to Apples Bible Edition, we love that game too matching words like 'Wild' to 'Rabbis!' 

Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the Lord God Almighty will be with you, just as you say he is. Hate evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts. Amos 5:14

Christmas Eve

'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house . . . . 

We began our morning in the best way possible, worshiping the Lord. My favorite part of having Caleb home are those moment as we sit together as a family worshiping.  

With no Bible Bowl this afternoon we spent the remainder of the day watching a few of Frankie's favorite holiday movies like Frosty, Rudolph and Santa Clause is Coming to Town.  

The kids helped me put the finishing touches on the Christmas preparations so that the big guy could visit tomorrow.  Frankie wrote her letter to Santa and left out chocolate chip cookies and a Dr. Pepper. Santa is lactose intolerant and prefers Dr. Pepper! 

They rejoice in your name all day long;

    they celebrate your righteousness.

Psalm 89:16

Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree

Christmas is in full swing with a stop off at Mimi's home for a little holiday celebration.  What a great blessing to have so many to be with at the holidays. 

Caleb got to share with Mimi the stories of his travels abroad. Mimi and Pawpa visited Greece in their travels so they were able to share stories! 

He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. Acts 10:2

Over the River and Through the Woods

Our next Christmas stop was to see Granny and Donnie along with Jon's brother and his sons.  Even though the kids are all mostly adults, I love seeing all the 'old cousins' together.  And I know Granny loves to have all her kids together! 

There was a little football on tap and Caleb shared with Granny his pictures from Europe. The kids played a little fetch with sport in the Oklahoma snow and there were more presents and several Christmas favorites like ham and queso! 

We make it our goal to please him,whether we are at home in the body or away from it.  2 Corinthians 5:9