Hodge and some podge of Easter

Potted tulips were a decorated with a little cross --one of the handicrafts from dear departed MIL. She loved Easter and I'm sure this year was the BEST Easter ever--she was in the presence of our Savior. Patchwork table runner was another of Ethel's crafts - she loved setting the colorful egg shaped candles down the middle.

Easter being the primary spring holiday and also a good time for flowers - we are blessed with an abundance of floral decorations. (as opposed to the non decoration I usually have on tables in our house).

The fruit platter was decorated with the top of a pineapple and blossoms from our garden - fun and really easy this time since we'd had so much rain there were no bugs on the flowers. It's the little things that make my day. The pitiful rendition of a bunny cake is all my doing - looks like a long eared drug taking cat - but it tasted great!
Iris were a gift out of our neighbor's backyard - planted many years ago by the friends from whom we purchased our land . Tablecloth on our side table was a handmade gift to Ethel when she was a young bride - still quite sturdy and makes a little more dressy background to some of our decor.

It was good here on Buhlaland for Easter - friends, food, flowers and a sense of appreciation for all of the above.

He IS Risen

We went with a group of friends to the Capernaum Experience on Maundy Thursday - experiencing a re-creation of a village in Capernaum around the time of Christ's life on earth. My favorite moment I didn't capture with a picture. The actor playing Christ came through the villlage square laughing, stopping to talk and play with the children ( everyone stays in character). I often picture my Savior laughing and always loving His children-- a man not of comely features but he draws people - - -

Isaiah 53(the Message paraphrase)

Who believes what we've heard and seen? Who would have thought God's saving power would look like this?
The servant grew up before God—a scrawny seedling, a scrubby plant in a parched field.There was nothing attractive about him, nothing to cause us to take a second look.

He was looked down on and passed over, a man who suffered, who knew pain firsthand.One look at him and people turned away. We looked down on him, thought he was scum.But the fact is, it was our pains he carried our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us.

We thought he brought it on himself, that God was punishing him for his own failures.But it was our sins that did that to him, that ripped and tore and crushed him our sins!He took the punishment, and that made us whole.

Through his bruises we get healed.We're all like sheep who've wandered off and gotten lost. We've all done our own thing, gone our own way.And God has piled all our sins, everything we've done wrong, on him, on him.
He was beaten, he was tortured, but he didn't say a word.Like a lamb taken to be slaughtered and like a sheep being sheared, he took it all in silence.Justice miscarried, and he was led off— and did anyone really know what was happening?

He died without a thought for his own welfare, beaten bloody for the sins of my people.They buried him with the wicked, threw him in a grave with a rich man,Even though he'd never hurt a soul or said one word that wasn't true.
Still, it's what God had in mind all along, to crush him with pain.The plan was that he give himself as an offering for sin so that he'd see life come from it—life, life, and more life. And God's plan will deeply prosper through him.
Out of that terrible travail of soul, he'll see that it's worth it and be glad he did it.Through what he experienced, my righteous one, my servant, will make many "righteous ones," as he himself carries the burden of their sins.

Therefore I'll reward him extravagantly— the best of everything, the highest honors—Because he looked death in the face and didn't flinch, because he embraced the company of the lowest.He took on his own shoulders the sin of the many, he took up the cause of all the black sheep.

Being one of the black sheep - I'm eternally grateful for his willingness to become sin - MY sin so I could be forgiven. He is Risen! He is risen indeed.

1,2,3 - easy as can be

We were having company over for supper last night and Joy in the Morning I had all the ingredients (without a trip to town) for a simple chicken dish - literally 3 ingredients (unless you are picky and want to count freshly ground pepper as 4). You'll need boneless skinless chicken breasts (unless you like the skin on - I'm not judging you here). Pound the chicken out to about 1/2 inch thickness -you'll need it to be flattened and big enough to roll up.

Slice Gouda very thinly - I used one of those little cheese slicers you drag across the cheese but had to give up once the cheese got warm and use a tomato slicing knife. Slice up most of it then plan on cutting into tiny chunks the bits left. I'll tell you why later - suspense is a technique in writing - I didn't say good writing - just writing.

Back to our story of the chicken and the cheese - well here comes the exciting ingredient Ta DA -bacon. Use thick sliced bacon any kind you fancy, pepper bacon might have been a thrill but we had plain hickory smoked.

Put a piece of chicken on a work surface - add some cheese (how much you ask - I say - enough but not too much ( if you overload with cheese you get big time melt out/burn in your pan) on the chicken, roll it up and wrap a slice of bacon around the tidy bundle of deliciousness. If you need to - stick a toothpick in there but remember you did it or somebody will get a bad surprise.

With the 8 ounces of gouda - I made 7 chicken bundles and had enough to make a cheese sauce to serve over it (very optional and this is the suspense reliever - that's what I do with extra 1/3 of the cheese). Grind some pepper over the bundles before cooking - there's that stealth ingredient number 4.

Spray a broiler pan with olive oil (BTW check out a Misto sprayer for inexpensive way to have decent quality spray cooking oils without propellants in Pam type sprays) .

Place the bundles on the rack of broiler pan and bake at 375 for -- I guess 30 minutes - sorry I didn't time it and basically it was until the chicken was done. I thought I had a picture of this process but obviously I was busier than I realized making the meal.

The sauce was a simple white sauce =melted butter, whisk in flour, whisk in chicken broth and milk - then add cheese and stir until melted - season to taste.

We served the chicken with basmati rice cooked in broth and water mixture, steamed green beans, fruit salad and cheese drop biscuits. Dessert was one of my recurring oatmeal bar things -this time with a cheesecake and diced dried mango filling. Yep - yummo.

I need to get busy - house is still far from ready for weekend company. This week is about spiritual preparation and lots of cooking (if done correctly the two mingle well!) Enjoy some easy food - I'll be back very soon! It smells GOOD on Buhlaland.

Lanny's Ride?

DH and I were turning onto Main St. after puttering around in town for a couple of hours (puttering can be translated liberally - spending money we hadn't planned) when we spotted a Kodak Moment perfect for A Dirt Woman . Lanny - I don't know whether you were in town on a lark or y'all practice plural marriage or this is a relative by Dirt bloodline - but you have some snazzy wheels.

Sorry about the spotty pic - through our front windshield isn't the clearest spot for a camera lens to work. Here it is the license plate of Mrs. Drt!

See how tricked out Mrs. Dirt's ride is here in Texas -

Love to you Dirt's woman - and yes in Christ we are Unlimited!