WHY DO WE COOK, CINCO DE MAYO, MEXICAN RICE, MEXICAN BEAN SALAD & MONTHLY GIVEAWAY WINNER!!

WHY DO WE COOK!

I believe that why we cook is as important as how and what we cook...We cook for the richness it brings to our lives and to why we cook is bigger than enjoying good food...Cooking, layered on day after day, builds a happiness for ourselves and the people around us that would not happen any other way...Some of our fondest memories involve cooking and our families.

Please leave a comment about your fondest memories involving cooking! If you do, you will get 3 extra chances in the monthly drawing. I will post tomorrow, what it will be.

CINCO DE MAYO MAY 5TH !!!!

The 5th of May is not Mexican Independence Day, but it should be.
And Cinco De Mayo is not an American holiday, but it should be.

Mexico declared its independence from mother Spain on midnight, the 15th of September, 1810. And it took 11 years before the first Spanish soldiers were told and forced to leave Mexico.

So, why Cinco De Mayo?
And why should Americans savor this day as well?

Because 4,000 Mexican soldiers smashed the French and traitor Mexican army of 8,000 at Puebla, Mexico, 100 miles east of Mexico City on the morning of May 5, 1862.
To help you celebrate Cinco De Mayo here are a couple recipes!

MEXICAN RICE

This is a wonderful side dish for any Mexican dinner.Rice is sauteed with salt, cumin and onion, then simmered with tomato sauce and chicken broth.

INGREDIENTS:

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup tomato sauce
2 cups chicken broth

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and add rice. Cook, stirring constantly, until puffed and golden. While rice is cooking, sprinkle with salt and cumin.

Stir in onions and cook until tender. Stir in tomato sauce and chicken broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

MEXICAN BEAN SALAD

The dressing is absolutely sensational in this bean salad - so many taste sensations. It begins with oil and vinegar, but then it gets fancy. Let 's see, there 's lemon and lime juice, garlic, cilantro, sugar, cumin, hot sauce and chili powder to taste

INGREDIENTS:

1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained
1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn kernels
1 red onion, chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 clove crushed garlic
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 dash hot pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon chili powder

DIRECTIONS:

In a large bowl, combine beans, bell peppers, frozen corn, and red onion.

In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, lime juice, lemon juice, sugar, salt, garlic, cilantro, cumin, and black pepper. Season to taste with hot sauce and chili powder.

Pour olive oil dressing over vegetables; mix well. Chill thoroughly, and serve cold.

THE WINNER IS!

The winner of April's giveaway is Amy from Cottage Prims! Congratulations Amy. Will need your address for shipping.

CORNMEAL CAKE WITH MACERATE BERRIES & APRIL GIVEWAY!

APRIL’S GIVEAWAY!

I will be drawing names from followers that comment tomorrow.

So today is your last chance to comment!


The April Monthly Giveaway is a

"Primitive Prairie Church Dolls Roll"

CORNMEAL CAKE WITH MACERATE BERRIES

The cornmeal gives this summery dessert a rustic, Country-style flavor.

INGREDIENTS:

Cake:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons grated orange rind
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup 2% reduced-fat milk

Berries:

1 cup each strawberries, blueberries and raspberries
1/4 cup sugar, or to taste
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

DIRECTIONS:

To prepare cake: preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt.

Combine butter, sugar, orange rind and vanilla in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until evenly blended. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture and cornmeal alternately with milk, beating just until evenly incorporated. Scrape into prepared pan, spreading evenly.

Bake 30 minutes or until a tester inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack.

To prepare berries, mash berries in a large bowl. Add sugar and orange juice and mix gently. Serve with cake.
Recipe by Jean Kressy.

FREE RETRO FUN VINTAGE STYLE APRON & CITRUS HOLIDAY HOSTESS APRON WITH DREAMY BOW PATTERNS

RETRO FUN: VINTAGE STYLE APRON

Love, love, love the sweetheart neckline and matching mini-sweet pockets. And the happy bottom flounce will have you skipping around your kitchen, just like when you used to twirl in your big-girl-fancy-party-dress

CITRUS HOLIDAY: HOSTESS APRON WITH DREAMY BOW

The hostess apron is a nod to the more elegant entertaining of days gone by, when a beautiful apron was a critical part of your party ensemble

You are going to love Sew4home. They have free patterns to grab if you want to make these lovely aprons up. Just click here to go there. You will find so many lovely items to make!

Photos from Sew4home.

BLARTER, MEXICAN BLACK BEAN PIZZA & APRIL'S GIVEWAY!

APRIL’S GIVEAWAY!

I have started a Monthly Giveaway. I will be drawing names from followers that comment.
The drawings will be on the 1st of each month! .


The April Monthly Giveaway is this

"Primitive Prairie Church Dolls Roll"

Each time you comment on a new post will give you another chance to win the
"Primitive Prairie Church Dolls Roll"!

BLARTER

This is a blog + barter system.

This explanation, taken from the blog site, details what blarter is...

blarter is an online community of bloggers seeking to exchange handmade goods, craft supplies, vintage items, and creative services through barter. use what you have to get what you want!

perhaps you have a stash of wool yarn and would like to trade it for some cotton quilting fabric. maybe you're seeking some vintage handkerchiefs, and would be willing to trade some handmade stationary. do you have a craft book or patterns you no longer need? trade it for something you do need!

blarter arrangements are set up by participants, and participants are solely responsible for carrying out the arrangement to completion. participants are responsible for any and all costs, such as shipping, incurred through barter arrangements.

blarter hopes to foster positive relationships between participants, but does not guarantee satisfaction.

any questions or comments? email blarter@att.net or clik here to go there.

MEXICAN BLACK BEAN PIZZA

For your vegetarian supper of the week, try this Mexican Black Bean Pizza. Loaded with protein, it has plenty of carbohydrates, and lots of flavor. If your family enjoys hot and spicy pizza, add a little extra pepper sauce. Pass the sour cream-salsa sauce at serving time. And sit back and enjoy this great meal.

INGREDIENTS:

1 10-ounce package refrigerated pizza dough
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons snipped fresh cilantro or parsley
2 tablespoons salsa
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon bottled hot pepper sauce
2 cloves garlic, quartered
1-1/2 cups shredded Cojack or cheddar cheese (6 ounces)
1/2 cup chopped red sweet pepper
1/4 cup sliced green onion
1/2 cup dairy sour cream
2 tablespoons salsa

DIRECTIONS:

Lightly grease an 11- to 13-inch pizza pan. Unroll pizza dough and transfer to greased pan, pressing dough out with your hands. Build up edges slightly. Prick generously with a fork. Bake in a 425 degree F oven for 7 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned.

Meanwhile, in a blender container or food processor bowl combine black beans, cilantro or parsley, 2 tablespoons salsa, cumin, hot pepper sauce, and garlic. Cover and blend or process until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides if necessary.

Spread bean mixture over hot crust. Sprinkle with Cojack or cheddar cheese, chopped red sweet pepper, and green onion. Bake about 10 minutes more or until cheese melts and pizza is heated through.

In a small bowl combine sour cream and 2 tablespoons salsa. Serve pizza with sour cream mixture. Makes 4 servings

HAPPY EASTER ALL..DO YOU BELIEVE IN EASTER?

He is not here; He has been raised.” (Lk 24:6)

This is too wonderful not to share........I hope you have a Happy and Blessed Easter!

Edith Burns was a wonderful Christian who lived in San Antonio, Texas. She was the patient of a doctor by the name of Will Phillips. Dr.Phillips was a gentle doctor who saw patients as people. His favorite patient was Edith Burns.

One morning he went to his office with a heavy heart and it was because of Edith Burns..
When he walked into that waiting room, there sat Edith with her big black Bible in her lap earnestly talking to a young mother sitting beside her.

Edith Burns had a habit of introducing herself in this way: "Hello, my name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?" Then she would explain the meaning of Easter, and many times people would be saved.

Dr. Phillips walked into that office and there he saw the head nurse, Beverly.
Beverly had first met Edith when she was taking her blood pressure Edith began by saying, "My name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?

Beverly said, "Why yes I do."

Edith said, "Well, what do you believe about Easter?"

Beverly said, "Well, it's all about egg hunts, going to church, and dressing up.." Edith kept pressing her about the real meaning of Easter, and finally led her to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Dr. Phillips said, "Beverly, don't call Edith into the office quite yet. I believe there is another delivery taking place in the waiting room.

After being called back in the doctor's office, Edith sat down and when she took a look at the doctor she said, "Dr. Will, why are you so
sad? Are you reading your Bible? Are you praying?"

Dr. Phillips said gently, "Edith, I'm the doctor and you're the patient." With a heavy heart he said, "Your lab report came back and it says you have cancer, and Edith, you're not going to live very long."

Edith said, "Why Will Phillips, shame on you. Why are you so sad? Do you think God makes mistakes? You have just told me I'm going to seemy precious Lord Jesus, my husband, and my friends. You have just told me that I am going to celebrate Easter forever, and here you are having difficulty giving me my ticket!"

Dr. Phillips thought to himself, "What a magnificent woman this Edith Burns is!"
Edith continued coming to Dr. Phillips. Christmas came and the office was closed through January 3rd. On the day the office opened, Edith did not show up.

Later that afternoon, Edith called Dr. Phillips and said she would have to be moving her story to the hospital and said, "Will, I'm very near home, so would you make sure that they put women in here next to me in my room who need to know about Easter.."

Well, they did just that and women began to come in and share that room with Edith. Many women were saved. Everybody on that floor from staff to patients were so excited about Edith, that they started calling her Edith Easter; that is everyone except Phyllis Cross, the head nurse.

Phyllis made it plain that she wanted nothing to do with Edith because she was a "religious nut". She had been a nurse in an army hospital.
She had seen it all and heard it all. She was the original G.I. Jane. She had been married three times, she was hard, cold, and did
everything by the book.

One morning the two nurses who were to attend to Edith were sick.

Edith had the flu and Phyllis Cross had to go in and give her a shot. When she walked in, Edith had a big smile on her face and said,
"Phyllis, God loves you and I love you, and I have been praying for you."

Phyllis Cross said, "Well, you can quit praying for me, it won't work. I'm not interested."

Edith said, "Well, I will pray and I have asked God not to let me go home until you come into the family."

Phyllis Cross said, "Then you will never die because that will never happen, and curtly walked out of the room.

Every day Phyllis Cross would walk into the room and Edith would say, "God loves you Phyllis and I love you, and I'm praying for you."

One day Phyllis Cross said she was literally drawn to Edith's room like a magnet would draw iron. She sat down on the bed and Edith said, "I'm so glad you have come, because God told me that today is your special day"

Phyllis Cross said, "Edith, you have asked everybody here the question, "Do you believe in Easter but you have never asked me."

Edith said, "Phyllis, I wanted to many times, but God told me to wait until you asked, and now that you have asked." Edith Burns took her
Bible and shared with Phyllis Cross the Easter Story of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Edith said, "Phyllis, do you
believe in Easter? Do you believe that Jesus Christ is alive and that He wants to live in your heart?"

Phyllis Cross said, "Oh I want to believe that with all of my heart, and I do want Jesus in my life "Right there, Phyllis Cross prayed and
invited Jesus Christ into her heart. For the first time Phyllis Cross did not walk out of a hospital room, she was carried out on the wings of angels.

Two days later, Phyllis Cross came in and Edith said, "Do you know what day it is?" Phyllis Cross said, "Why Edith, it's Good Friday."

Edith said, "Oh, no, for you every day is Easter. Happy Easter Phyllis!"

Two days later, on Easter Sunday, Phyllis Cross came into work, did some of her duties and then went down to the flower shop and got some Easter lilies because she wanted to go up to see Edith and give her some Easter lilies and wish her a Happy Easter.

When she walked into Edith's room, Edith was in bed. That big black Bible was on her lap. Her hands were in that Bible. There was a sweet
smile on her face. When Phyllis Cross went to pick up Edith's hand, she realized Edith was dead. Her left hand was on John 14: "In my
Father's house are many mansions. I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you
may be also." Her right hand was on Revelation 21:4, "And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, there shall be no more death nor
sorrow, nor crying; and there shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."

Phyllis Cross took one look at that dead body, and then lifted her face toward heaven, and with tears streaming down here cheeks, said,
"Happy Easter, Edith - Happy Easter!"

Phyllis Cross left Edith's body, walked out of the room, and over to a table where two student nurses were sitting. She said, "My name is
Phyllis Cross.. Do you believe in Easter?"

If you believe in Easter, forward this on. God works in wonderful ways, and to believe in his power is to truly be free. If Jesus had e-mail, he'd do the same for you.
Actually, maybe He just did)

"Father, bless this person in whatever it is that You know he or she may be needing this day"

YOU DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

I received this from a friend and thought you would enjoy it!

Who You Are Makes A Difference

A teacher in New York decided to honor each of her seniors in high school by telling them the difference they each made.
Using a process developed by Helice Bridges of Del Mar, California, she called each student to the front of the class, one at a time.
First she told them how the student made a difference to her and the class. Then she presented each of them with a blue ribbon imprinted with gold letters which read, "Who I Am Makes a Difference."
Afterwards the teacher decided to do a class project to see what kind of impact recognition would have on a community.
She gave each of the students three more ribbons and instructed them to go out and spread this acknowledgment ceremony.
Then they were to follow up on the results, see who honored whom and report back to the class in about a week.
One of the boys in the class went to a junior executive in a nearby company and honored him for helping him with his career planning. He gave him a blue ribbon and put it on his shirt.
Then he gave him two extra ribbons, and said, "We're doing a class project on recognition, and we'd like you to go out, find somebody to honor, give them a blue ribbon, then give them the extra blue ribbon so they can acknowledge a third person to keep this acknowledgment ceremony going. Then please report back to me and tell me what happened."
Later that day the junior executive went in to see his boss, who had been noted, by the way, as being kind of a grouchy fellow. He sat his boss down and he told him that he deeply admired him for being a creative genius. The boss seemed very surprised. The junior executive asked him if he would accept the gift of the blue ribbon and would he give him permission to put it on him. His surprised boss said,"Well, sure."
The junior executive took the blue ribbon and placed it right on his boss's jacket above his heart. As he gave him the last extra ribbon, he said,
"Would you do me a favor? Would you take this extra ribbon and pass it on by honoring somebody else? The young boy who first gave me the ribbons is doing a project in school and we want to keep this recognition ceremony going and find out how it affects people."
That night the boss came home to his 14-year-old son and sat him down. He said, "The most incredible thing happened to me today. I was in my office and one of the junior executives came in and told me he admired me and gave me a blue ribbon for being a creative genius. Imagine. He thinks I'm a creative genius."
Then he put this blue ribbon that says "Who I Am Makes A Difference" on my jacket above my heart. He gave me an extra ribbon and asked me to find somebody else to honor.
As I was driving home tonight, I started thinking about whom I would honor with this ribbon and I thought about you. I want to honor you.
"My days are really hectic and when I come home I don't pay a lot of attention to you. Sometimes I scream at you for not getting good enough grades in school and for your bedroom being a mess, but somehow tonight, I just wanted to sit here and, well, just let you know that you do make a difference to me.
Besides your mother, you are the most important person in my life. You're a great kid and I love you!"
The startled boy started to sob and sob, and he couldn't stop crying. His whole body shook.
He looked up at his father and said through his tears, "I was planning on committing suicide tomorrow, Dad, because I didn't think you loved me. Now I don't need to."

Who you are does make a difference & I wanted my followers to know that! I am passing the blue ribbon to you. Have an awesome day, and know that someone has thought about you today..

BLUEBERRY CREAM CHEESE SQUARES!

APRIL’S GIVEAWAY!

I have started a Monthly Giveaway. I will be drawing names from followers that comment on the 1st of each month! .

The April Monthly Giveaway is this

"Primitive Prairie Church Dolls Roll"

Each time you comment on a new post will give you another chance to win the

"Primitive Prairie Church Dolls Roll"!

BLUEBERRY CREAM CHEESE SQUARES

This delectable dessert is the perfect summer treat, NO baking required.

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 c. cornstarch

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. water

3 c. blueberries, rinsed and drained

1 (13 1/2 oz.) pkg. graham cracker crumbs

3/4 c. melted butter 2 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese

1 1/2 c. sugar 2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 (9 oz.) pkg. frozen whipped topping, thawed

DIRECTIONS:

Combine cornstarch, sugar, water and blueberries in saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring until thickened; cool. Combine cracker crumbs into bottom of foil-lined 13 x 9 x 2 inch pan. Mash cream cheese until soft; beat in sugar and vanilla gradually. Fold in whipped topping; drop by spoonfuls over crumb mixture. Spread gently with spatula. Spread blueberry filling evenly over cheese mixture; spread with remaining cheese mixture. Sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture; chill overnight. Use foil to remove dessert from pan. Place dessert on platter;cut into squares.