The Cobb Salad & Herb Vinaigarette Dressing

This salad was a big hit at a dinner party earlier this year. I wanted to share it and also have it online where I cad find it. This was the pic i took of it the day of our party.

Ingredients are probably easy to spot but include:

Romaine lettuce/spring mix

Green Bell Pepper

Chicken Bites (cubed cooked chicken)

Bacon pieces

Gargonzola cheese

Hard Boiled Eggs


The dressing was HERB VINAIGRETTE DRESSING:

1 1/3 cups olive oil
2 2/3 red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon Mustard
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon tarragon
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon parsley
1 teaspoon rosemary
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar

Combine in a jar and shake well.

Then ENJOY! Great for a dinner party! Use a BIG BOWL!

Discouragement.

I just had to share this devo that was in my "in box" this morning. Mr. Stanley has some good points here. Maybe this will help someone. It meant something to me.

Aug. 13, 2009
External Causes of Discouragement

Colossians 3:21

Discouragement can hit us from many angles, depleting our energy and productivity. Wise believers will learn to detect its sources in order to avoid this paralyzing effect. Today, let's examine some external causes.

1. Unresolved disappointments. This applies to letdowns caused by our own failed expectations or someone else's.

2. Constant criticism. When we are criticized frequently, it is natural to think, What's wrong with me? Yet, unless God reveals a truth in the comments, we must learn to let them go.

3. The feeling that no one's listening. The natural response to this is rejection.

4. The sense that we aren't appreciated after doing our best. We can get so tied to our work that someone's failure to acknowledge our efforts feels like a personal rebuff.

5. Bad working conditions. Many believers enjoy what they do but pick up on coworkers' cruelty, bitterness, or refusal to recognize their efforts. This can make it extremely difficult to get motivated about going to work each day.

6. Lacking opportunities to shine. A job that doesn't make the best use of one's gifts and abilities can wear a person down. So can tight-fisted management that limits freedom to make innovations.

Oftentimes, it's the people we see every day who seem to have the most power for causing discouragement in our lives. Read through the list again. Do any of the above scenarios sound disturbingly familiar? If so, pray for the strength to face these external discouragers with renewed confidence.

For more biblical teaching and resources from Dr. Charles Stanley, please visit www.intouch.org

Shrimp Scampi

1 lb. peeled, large raw shrimp (31/35 count)
1 (12 oz.) package angel hair pasta
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp. salt free Italian Herb seasoning
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup freshly grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

1. Devein shrimp, if desired.

2. Prepare angel hair pasta according to package directions.

3. Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add onion and garlic, and saute' 3 to 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in Italian-herb seasoning and Worcestershire sauce.

4. Reduce heat to medium. Add shrimp, and cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 5 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink. Stir in lemon juice. Toss shrimp mixture with pasta, and sprinkle with cheese and parsley. Serve immediately.

We sure did enjoy this!

Coffee Marinated Steak.....

2 tablespoons sesame seeds
6 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup strong brewed coffee
1 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 pounds boneless beef top sirloin steak, cut 1 inch thick

DIRECTIONS:

Melt butter in skillet. Add sesame seeds and toast them. Add onion and garlic to the skillet and saute them until tender.

In a bowl, combine coffee, soy sauce, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and sesame seed mixture. Pour half of the mixture into a sealable plastic bag; add steak. Refrigerate overnight if possible or at least for 6-8 hours. Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade also.

Drain and discard marinade from steak. Grill steak, covered, over medium-hot heat for 6-10 minutes on each side or until the meat reaches desired doneness. Warm and serve remaining marinade to serve with steak.

This was such an awesome recipe!!!

Key Lime Cake

This recipe was provided to me by friend Heather Martin. I love "key lime" and Heather brought me a slice to work one day. I knew I had to have the recipe. The homemade icing is so good. It was easy to make and fun!

Key Lime Cake

1- (18.25 oz.) lemon or yellow cake mix

1- 3.5 oz. instant lemon pudding mix (dry)

4 large eggs

1/2 cup key lime juice (bottled)

1 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup water


Directions for Key Lime Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2. Combine above ingredients and beat with electric mixer for 2-3 minutes.

3. Pour into prepared pans and bake for 45 minutes or until done. Cool for 10 minutes and turn out from pans.


Key Lime Buttercream Icing:

1 cup unsalted butter

1 cup Crisco

2 teaspoons real vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

8 cups powdered sugar

6 tablespoons key lime juice


Directions for Key Lime Buttercream Icing:

Beat butter and shortening together for about 5 minutes. Beat in vanilla and salt. Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time alternating with the key lime juice.

Other: I happened to have a garnishing tool and so I garnished my cake with lime peel...and sliced the lime up into very thin slices and placed around the edge. You can be creative!

Four Reasons Christ Died for Us.....

1. He wanted to rescue us from evil. (I'm all for that! Experience evil around me all the time and it is on the increase, isn't it? Are we not all shocked continually about how it used to be and how the 'good ole days are gone'.)

2. It was His Father's will.

3. He wanted to bring us to the Father. (The Bible tells us that our sin separates us from God. Adam and Eve before their fall, spent lots of time with God. Wow, what that must have been like! Cannot even imagine being worthy of His presence. Before Christ died for us God could only be reached via High Priests who followed certain rituals. This was insufficient. God's plan to send His Son would far surpass what seems possible and today becomes our HOPE and our GRACE.) Some churches and some Christians are afraid to speak of God's grace or focus on God's grace b/c they are afraid that discussing it might entice others to feel that they can sin all they want now and they are covered. I've noticed this at times. But I think it is VITAL to understand God's GRACE. When Christ died - his death was sufficient to cover our multitudes of sin. I do feel that one can fall away from believing and loving God (losing faith). Although our God is our judge and not man, my own opinion is that if one falls away from believing, loving, and following God, that it will be much like the "rich man going thru the eye of the needle" to get to heaven. So God's GRACE is important and allows us to come to HIM.

4. He loves us. God IS love. I just like to imagine every loving thought I've had or felt. Feelings of joy, peace, kindness - all the fruits of the spirit. If you think about it they are all wrapped around love. They are the fruits of love, as I see it. Imagine the sunrise or a beautiful flower and the feeling that wells within you of how beautiful it is. Imagine the feeling of contentment that you get when you have a day off and you are doing things for your family and your household and you feel at peace. I count this as love too. God feels these feelings of love toward us - enough so that HE sent HIS son for us. We don't get to experience the joy of His love continually on earth b/c of the evil that exists. That is why he is coming back one day to receive us as His own. Can you imagine all the good feelings we have had in our lives - we will only have those kind of feelings continually when we are with God. This is how I like to think of His love. It's just so BIG and Magical that we cannot even imagine it in its true power. God doesn't just have love - He is Love. What an awesome thing.

Just my thoughts today as I do a morning devo.

Beginning Bible Study

We moved into our new house about a year ago. I knew God would provide what I will call "my dream home" whether in this life or the next. I cannot tell you how pleased I am that God came thru for me on that dream while on this earth. He moved mountains for us and this has all been a dream come true. There were people too that made that dream come true as well.And for them I am grateful for what they have done for us. We have loved the house and our new community being nearer to TheTeen's school and about twenty minutes closer to work than we were. Gone are the long commutes.

However, in the process of all this excitement, we've lost out on a couple of things. Our close friends are not here, our church family that we have come close to, is not here. We have had a hard time breaking in at the new church. I know this takes time. We were at the old church a couple of years before it all started clicking. So mainly, I've remained close to just my family and friends at work, with the exception of a few emails and facebooks and blogs. The e-world has always held some strengths for me.

However, since January, I've felt an insecurity about many things. I know it all started with the "work situation". I won't relive that here but someone hurt my feelings really bad and I will just go ahead and say "scarred me" really bad inside regarding myself as a person and made me question my career. It put a shadow over Christmas. Coming out of Christmas there were a few other things that also began to loom. I won't rehash all that out here but I will say that I have felt insecure in my life from all points. Yes. All points. I don't really know why or where it all came from. Whether it was gradual or did I wake up and suddenly feel that way. I'm inclined to think it was gradual. A lot of this has come to a head recently. It's left me wondering if I have changed or has everything else changed. I don't know. Perhaps a little of both.

The one underlying current that I know has changed is that my spiritual life is not filled with fellowship with other Christians - that grounding is no longer there. And outside forces have quickly filled that void on all fronts, leaving me scratching my head and wondering what to do next. Most of these issues I've had have been dealt with one on one and are better. God is the one in control as always. I didn't say my spiritual life has gone south although it is far from perfect. Fortunately I am a spiritual person and am able to turn to God and have him guide me - but I could use more bible study for that extra punch of strength. It's the fellowship that I miss with people who know and love me and my family unconditionally, people that support and do not lay judgement. I miss that. I think if I had had that the past few months, maybe things would not have been so hurtful and heartfelt.

I realize I'm vague. But the specifics are not important. I am praying that my family and I develop friendships quickly, and find our interests, and find the right church (if this one is not it - I have no idea if it is or not). We need this so much. All of us.

In the meantime, I am going to focus into a Bible study by Beth Moore called "Living Beyond Yourself". It's just me doing this at home. I figure it will provide some extra stength for all the things that are bothering me lately. God provided the home, and he will provide the Christian fellowship in our community, just as He did before. I think he is giving me an opportunity here to learn to trust Him more.

In the meantime, sometime I may post my thoughts here on some of these devotions. As long as it will not be tedious to do so.

The first lesson I'm doing is called "Many Hardships". One of the first things Beth mentions is that we have to let God get very personal with us and that the enemy will try everything to discourage us from letting him into the deep places of our heart.

She mentions that God gave women "the power of influence" and boy is that ever true. Where did the serpent go in the garden of Eden? Yep to the woman. lol

She talks about this influence...using the gift ---to teach, nurture, encourage, exhort, evangelize, and disciple. And how there is a fine line b/w influencing and manipulating. Boy we can do that too without even realizing we are doing it. She suggests we "think" before we speak and act.

I've also been reinforced with this lesson that when we are persecuted or have tribulations that we should count it as joy and a victory in Christ.

Beth ties all this together - and I'm going to quote her b/c it's good. Amen? lol (Beth says Amen a lot). "...we indeed experience a constant persecution of sorts, waged by the most vicious of all persecutors.....his allied forces are closing in and his captives are many.....so subtle is this battle that all around us people are being spritually behaeded....heads are rolling....this is war.....it's a matter of influence...and that just happens to be our specialty".....

Not sure where this lesson leads, but I feel a bit stronger already. I guess I've learned by this lesson I've read tonight (which is far more than I've posted here).....that I actually have more control and influence in my life than I realized. So I need to focus that positively with His guiding so that all things work out for the good!

If you made it this far, thanks! Hope something here helps someone. If you stop by please let me know. Maybe we can encourage one another.

I love where we are- this house - this time in our lives - this community....we just need some roots...God will provide and I will try to "win friends and influence people" ---sorry, just had to throw that in there. lol