Feeding a Crowd

One of the things I love about small towns

is the loving care that pours forth at the death of a community member.

  On such occasions, the ladies bring their best salads for a dinner after the memorial service,

where the family and friends may gather. 

My grandma was famous for bringing her baked beans to funeral dinners. 

She did make great beans, and I would have loved to keep the tradition,

but that spot was already taken in our community,

so I looked for an original salad to feed a crowd. 

I wanted something special,

something that would not be duplicated, 

so I choose a bread and crab salad that a friend brought to a wedding years ago. 

I have never run across this kind of salad anywhere else.  

While putting it together this morning, I thought it would be a good recipe to share.

  It is not for the careful eater,

as it is scrumptuously loaded with fat.

BREAD CRAB SALAD

2 loaves bread, cubed

3 cups butter, elted
12 hard boiled eggs, chopped
2 c. chopped onions
2 lbs. imitation crab
2 jars mayonaise
salt and pepper to taste
dash of tabasco
In a large bowl, pour butter over cubed bread.  Stir to coat.  Add eggs and onions. Stir well. Cover and chill overnight.
Mix in chopped crab and mayo.  Season to taste with salt and pepper and tabasco.
This makes a huge salad, and, there are NEVER any leftovers.  :-)

 

Grandma's Baked Beans

2 large cans baked beans, drained
1 small onion chopped
1 (14 oz.) can pineapple chunks
1/4 c. mustard
1/2 c. molasses
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. catsup
3 TBSP butter

Saute onions in butter.  Add to beans in a casserole dish.  Stir in pineapple with about half the juice.  Combine other ingredients and stir into bean mixture.  Bake at 325 about 2 hours.

People said these were the best beans around for miles. 

Grandma's faithful contributions to community gatherings has left an impression on me. 

She was a good neighbor, 

and I am sure much love and tears went into her pot of beans

as she prepared them for the grieving family.

  She didn't stop there though, 

often times, she was the very one who was caring for the ailing person before they passed. 

For years she was the one who organized the dinners. 

Her Christian care and concern went beyond a sympathy card

to being that hands and feet of Jesus to the hurting around her.  

She probably never thought she was leaving a legacy,

or making impressions on a freckled granddaughter. 

She just lived the way she thought she ought,

and in passing,

left big footprints to follow. 

The rain is pouring down.

  I like it.

Dinner dishes washed. 

Candles lit. 

Fire crackling.

  Tea Kettle singing. 

  It all soothes me.

Feeding Olivia in the fireside rocker, gives me some needed quiet time,

margin in a busy day.

  With the older ones off to Bible Study, and the younger children playing upstairs,

the house is quiet at the moment, 

providing a reflective moment that has given way to thankfulness. 

I still,

after a year,

am amazed that this is our house. 

Our heavenly Father has been so generous and gracious in providing this home. 

Most recently, we were texturing and preparing to paint the second floor. 

Some friends had given us paint left over from their project last year.

Having no idea what color of tan it was, we opened it up last week and put it on the walls. 

As it dried, we just stared in amazement.

  It is an EXACT match to the carpet. 

We could not have picked better. 

Furthermore, the paint givers had no idea of our carpet or where we would use the paint. 

It is so incredible to see such examples of providential care over and over

as we have built this house. 

To think that the God of the universe would care about such details. 

Oh how He loves us..

you,

me,

all his children. 

Can you fathom how wide and long and high and deep?

  I think not, but we can try.

We can count our blessings every day 

and give thanks to the Lord for each single beauty that He sends our way.

this is our act of worshiping,

moment by moment, 

always seeing his hand in the good,

and recognizing it, acknowledging it, 

rejoicing over it.

As we do, the anxieties we carry melt away. 

We see first hand how trustworthy and good our Savior is. 

Indeed, I think possibly Gratitude is the underlying principle of sanity,

and therefore,

ingratitude is the underlying factor of insanity.

So, we bring sanity to our daily lives when we stop and recall how much God loves us, 

when we give him praise for all his wonderous acts.

Truly,

the greater one lives in gratitude,

the greater the sense of fullness and satisfaction.

"I have loved you with an everlasting love."

Jer. 1:3

"Because your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips will praise you."

Ps 63:3

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us."

1 Jn. 3:1

"Give thanks to the Lord for He is good." 

Psalm 136:1

This quiet evening, I am thankful for the way that He loves,

for the sweet baby snuggled into my arms as I sit in the flickering candle light,

for tan paint,

for an adorable two year old who lights up every day,

for my precious husband- a rare gem he is,

and, for this amazing home that Providence built.

Idaho Spring

It's raining.

It's sunny!

It's raining, no, actually, it's snowing.

It's raining and sunny.

Now it's hailing.  

It's sunny!

It's snowing.

A spring day in Idaho

Our Day In Pictures

"How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you,"

Psalm31:19