The most delicious Chicken and Sausage gumbo you will ever taste! This is a regular dinner in our house. It's just one of those rare meals that everyone in my family loves. Gumbo has always been a go-to easy dinner for me. It's a one pot meal that always turns out well. I pair it with a big pot of steaming rice, a crusty bread and, of course, Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning. I love doubling the gumbo recipe and keeping the leftovers in the freezer. It makes my nights so much easier when I can just pull it out, defrost, heat and serve it! We love it and never get tired of it. It is also really easy to adapt to a gluten free or low carb meal. Chicken and Sausage Gumbo 1/3 c flour 1/4 olive oil 1/2 c chopped onion 1/2 c chopped bell pepper 1/2 c chopped celery 4 cloves of garlic, minced 1/2 tsp black pepper 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper 14 1/2 oz can chicken broth 1 1/4 c water 1 28 oz can petite diced tomatoes 1 1/2 cups boiled chicken breasts, chopped 1/2 package of kielbasa sausage, sliced 1 1/2 c sliced fresh or frozen okra 2 bay leaves 3 c hot cooked rice Note: For gluten free gumbo, substitute almond flour for all purpose flour. My son is gluten free so this is what I have done for years and it works perfectly. To make it low carb, substitute almond flour for all purpose flour and omit the rice. To make the roux, combine flour and oil in a heavy saucepan. Cook over medium high heat, stirring constantly, until the roux turns the color of a copper penny. Stir in onion, bell pepper, celery, black pepper, cayenne pepper, garlic and bay leaf. Stir for five minutes. Stir in chicken broth, water, diced tomatoes, chicken, sausage and okra. Bring to boiling, reduce heat, cover and simmer for as little as thirty minutes or for hours. Discard bay leaves before serving. Serve over hot rice or by itself. Sprinkle with Tony Chachere's for an extra kick.

I’m new to gardening so I am still trying to figure it all out - what grows well, what doesn’t. I have had some success but I’ve also had lots of failures. One thing that has grown so well for me this year is basil…lots and lots of basil! I’ve been adding fresh basil to everything I can think of and I am starting to get tired of it. 😂 Lately I’ve been wracking my brain, trying to figure out what to do with all of this basil and then it occurred to me…I could slow dry it in the oven, finely chop it and store it as, wait for it, DRIED BASIL! 😂 It’s funny how we are so used to purchasing things that it doesn’t even occur to us to just make it! All that to say, I don’t think I’ll need to purchase dried basil for years! To slow dry herbs: Wash the herbs and let them dry. Pick the leaves off of the stems and discard stems. Place your oven on its lowest setting which is usually around 170 degrees. Place herbs on a cookie sheet and dry them in the oven for four hours. Pull pan out and allow herbs to cool. Pour herbs into a food processor and pulse until the herbs are finely chopped. Pour chopped herbs into an airtight container and store with your other herbs. To freeze herbs: Wash the herbs and let them dry. Pick the leaves off of the stems and discard stems. Place herbs in a good processor. Add 1 to 2 Tablespoons olive oil. Pulse until finely chopped. Scrape the herb/oil mixture into a Ziploc baggie. Remove all air, seal and freeze. Simply break off desired amount and add to whatever you are cooking that calls for the herb.

Tomorrow is the Nativity of John the Baptist so beginning at sunset tonight, we will be celebrating the birth of John the Baptist. We don’t celebrate the nativity of John the Baptist much anymore but we should and here’s why: Jesus himself says in Matthew 11 that “among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist”. He is the greatest of the prophets for he was chosen to prepare the way for our Lord and Savior, Jesus. The birth of John the Baptist is so important that the gospel author, Luke, weaves his birth story with the birth story of Jesus. His own birth story is given a prominent position in Jesus’ nativity story. Some cool things about the Nativity of John the Baptist: The day that we celebrate the birth of John the Baptist occurs six months before the birth of Jesus on Christmas Day. When Mary asks the angel Gabriel how it is possible that she would bear God’s son, Gabriel answers that the Holy Spirit will overshadow her and that her cousin Elizabeth is already six months pregnant with John. The Nativity of John the Baptist occurs right after the summer solstice which is the longest day of the year. After the summer solstice, the days begin to grow shorter as we move towards Christmas just as John the Baptist said that he must decrease so that Jesus can increase. Ways to celebrate +Read the birth story of John the Baptist in Luke 1:5-25,39-45,57-80 +Light a bonfire - tradition has it that Elizabeth lit a bonfire to announce the birth of her son. All over the world, Christians light "Saint John's fires" on mountains and hilltops on the eve of his feast. In Ireland, the blessed ashes from the St. John’s fires are sprinkled over the fields to ensure a good harvest. +Eat something made with honey. Since John the Baptist is known to have eaten locusts and wild honey as an adult, make something with honey or locusts or both! We choose honey! +Make things easy by celebrating with a fire and smores using honey graham crackers. +Throw water balloons or have a water war with your kids. Since John the Baptist is known for baptizing those who repented, include water in your celebrations.

I’m embracing this season of growing by pickling things I am growing in my garden. Pickling is the easiest thing to do- so much easier than canning! You bring some ingredients to a boil, pour it over jalapeños, okra, cucumbers, etc., let cool, refrigerate and enjoy! And whatever you pickle is so much better than store bought! Have you tried pickling? Pickled Jalapenos 5-6 jalapenos, sliced 1/2 c white vinegar 1/2 c water 1 bay leaf 1 tsp salt 1 Tbl peppercorns 2 cloves of garlic Slice the jalapenos and put in a mason jar. Bring the rest of the ingredients in a small saucepan. Pour contents over jalapenos in jar. Screw lid on. Allow to cool. Refrigerate.

On Sunday, the church celebrated the amazing moment when the Holy Spirit fell on God’s people. Through the gift of the Holy Spirit, lives were radically changed. God’s people were given wisdom and understanding, they were filled with boldness, they preached the good news to the people around them and the church multiplied exponentially. God’s people, when filled with the Holy Spirit, flourished and grew. That same Holy Spirit has been poured out on us as well so we ask ourselves, “What is the Holy Spirit seeking to do in our lives? How can we flourish with the Holy Spirit?” The next season in the church year, Ordinary Time, is a perfect time to really pray and think about the answers to those questions. Ordinary Time is the church’s longest season and the name is a bit misleading. Ordinary Time is anything but ordinary. The word “ordinary” comes from the Latin ordinalis and simply means numbered or ordered time. Throughout the season of Ordinary Time, the church focuses on Jesus’ abundant life, his teachings, his parables, and his miracles. Ordinary Time can also be called “The Green Meadow'' because of the green color of the vestments. Green is so fitting since it represents growth and new life. Celebrate the season by decorating your kitchen or dining table with the color green. A green tablecloth or a jar filled with green herbs or branches from the backyard are a great way to remind us that we are in the season of Ordinary Time. Read Acts 1 and 2 about the early church flourishing after the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Pray for the Holy Spirit to fill you anew and to help you to flourish and grow. May God bless you and your family during this season of Ordinary Time!

Happy Feast of the Ascension! Today is the day that the church remembers the day that Jesus ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father. Before ascending, he told the disciples to wait and pray until the Holy Spirit came down. Today we made a blueberry fool. A fool is such a simple dessert made by folding a blueberry purée into whipped cream. I love how it looks like sky and clouds! Blueberry Fool 2 cups frozen wild blueberries, thawed, or fresh blueberries 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 7 tablespoons sugar, divided 2 cups heavy cream Combine blueberries, lemon juice, cinnamon, and 4 tablespoons sugar in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until blueberries burst and become very soft, about 8 minutes. Transfer mixture to a food processor and puree. Cool. Whisk or beat cream with remaining 3 tablespoons sugar to soft peaks in a large, wide bowl. Pour puree over cream and fold with a large rubber spatula or wooden spoon just until puree is streaked throughout cream. Scoop into individual serving dishes and refrigerate until set.

Thursday is Ascension Day! It is the day that we remember Jesus’ ascent into heaven. After Jesus’ resurrection, He revealed himself to His disciples over a period of forty days. He ate with them and taught them all about the kingdom of God. One day, while He was eating with them, He told them that they were to stay in Jerusalem and wait for the gift His Father had promised. He told them that they would be baptized by fire and the Holy Spirit and that they would receive power and that they would be His witnesses throughout the world. On the fortieth day, Jesus brought them out into the countryside. He lifted up His hands and blessed them. As He was blessing them, He was lifted up into the clouds. While the disciples were looking up into the sky, two men dressed in white stood beside them and asked why they were looking into the sky? They explained that Jesus would return in the same way that He went into heaven. The disciples immediately began worshiping the Lord and returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy. There they stayed for nine days, praying and praising God. Together with Mary and the disciples, we marvel at what happened. Jesus defied all earthly laws and ascended up into the clouds to sit at the right hand of the Father. We also wait for a gift that has been promised to us. We don't fully understand what it is but we have been told to wait and pray.

We are still celebrating Easter! We’ve got about two and a half weeks left before the season of Easter ends and we are keeping the celebration going over here with a recipe from the famous Upperline Restaurant in New Orleans called Gateau de Sirop or Cane Syrup Cake. Cane Syrup is a big deal where I am from. I never really thought about it before but we didn’t grow up with real maple syrup. It was too expensive. But sugar cane was a staple crop that grew well and was affordable. If you used syrup, it was cane syrup or later artificial syrups like Log Cabin or Karo. My mother in law, who grew up in rural western Alabama remembers her daddy growing and harvesting sugar cane. Two mules went around in a circle turning a machine that ground up the sugar cane. He would take the sugar cane juice and boil it until it turned into a golden liquid (cane syrup) and put it in cans. An interesting note - Cane syrup is a lot thinner than maple syrup and it is not nearly as sweet. Also, if you boil the cane syrup a second time you get molasses. If you boil it a third time, you get blackstrap molasses. This cake is delicious and really easy to make. It’s a really moist cake with ginger, cinnamon, a little nutmeg and the unique and delicate flavor of cane syrup. Top it with homemade whipped cream and a drizzle of cane syrup and enjoy! https://www.southernliving.com/recipes/gateau-de-sirop-syrup-cake

Take the big risk. Make the wild leap. Say “yes” to that tug on your heart. The people in the Bible were not perfect by any means but they listened for the voice of God and they often obeyed no matter how unusual and scary the direction was. +Abram and Sarai left their homeland, their culture, their safety and journeyed to an unknown and dangerous land. +Ananias went to a home to lay hands on and pray over an enemy. +Esther risked banishment and death to beg for the salvation of her people. +Jesus went out of his way on his long and tiring journey to get to one woman with a very bad reputation. +Phoebe journeyed on foot and by sea from Greece to Italy to hand deliver Paul’s letter to the Romans. The very best advice that I could give to any person, old or young, married or single, childless or parent, is to right now, in this very moment, imagine yourself opening your heart up to the leading of the Lord. It is scary to live like this. It requires something (ok, everything) of you but it is the BEST way! It is the way of life, the way of joy, the way of renewal and of hope. I think Rich Mullin’s describes this way of life best in his song “The Love of God” - There's a wideness in God's mercy I cannot find in my own And He keeps His fire burning To melt this heart of stone Keeps me aching with a yearning Keeps me glad to have been caught In the reckless raging fury That they call the love of God To the married couple who are not really feeling it anymore with each other, to the elderly person who feels like they have no purpose, to the empty nesters, to the young mom who is drowning in the routine of diapers and feedings, to the young person who is wondering what they are supposed to do with the rest of their life, take this moment to imagine opening your heart to this love of God and simply saying “yes”. The Lord’s leadings will be big and small, they will seem to go against what you think you need, they will probably make you nervous and they will definitely not go the way that you thought they would go but they will be the Lord’s doings and they will be marvelous in your eyes. Joy and sorrow are this ocean And in their every ebb and flow Now the Lord a door has opened That all Hell could never close Here I'm tested and made worthy Tossed about but lifted up In the reckless raging fury That they call the love of God P.S. - I love you, John. Thank you for always saying “yes”, no matter how scary, and for keeping our hearts open to the reckless raging fury that they call the love of God.

Meatloaf is a very controversial food, either you LOVE it or you HATE it. We happen to love it! I've tried a lot of different recipes through the years and our very favorite has to be the one from Ina Garten. It is super simple and easy to make and it only has a 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs which keeps it from having too soft a texture (the worst!). Give it a try and let me know what you think. Ingredients 1 Tbl olive oil 3 cups chopped yellow onions (3 onions) 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme 2 tsp sea salt 1 tsp black pepper 3 Tbl Worcestershire sauce 1/3 cup chicken stock 1 Tbl tomato paste 2 1/2 pounds ground chuck 1/2 cup plain dry bread crumbs 2 large eggs, beaten 1/2 cup ketchup (We do not do this part because some of us do not like ketchup on meatloaf) Directions Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Heat the olive oil in a medium saute pan. Add the onions, thyme, salt, and pepper and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent but not brown. Off the heat, add the Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, and tomato paste. Allow to cool slightly. In a large bowl, combine the ground chuck, onion mixture, bread crumbs, and eggs, and mix lightly with a fork. Don't mash or the meat loaf will be dense. Shape the mixture into a rectangular loaf on a sheet pan covered with parchment paper. Spread the ketchup evenly on top. Bake for 1 to 1 1/4 hours, until the internal temperature is 160 degrees F and the meat loaf is cooked through. Ina also says that a pan of hot water in the oven, under the meat loaf, will keep the top from cracking. Who knew???

It’s rainy outside today and I guess that’s making us a little squirrelly. My oldest child is on the spectrum and he has been particularly loud, impulsive and accident prone. I handled it all SO well at the beginning of the day! I really did! I was all patience and gentle guidance. But as the hours passed, so did my patience. It slipped and slipped and slipped until there was absolutely none left. By the time our lunch break/quiet time hit, I had fussed and scolded aplenty and I was ever so ready for him to retire to his room where he likes to jump on his little fitness trampoline and listen to music. I decided I was going to make myself a very large cup of coffee and I was going to sit down and take a much deserved break. As I poured the coffee, I really can’t explain what happened but I missed the center of the cup and spilled coffee all over the counter. It was at this moment that a revelation hit me so hard in my heart - if my son had done that, I totally, 100% would have snapped all over him about it. What’s the word for a total and immediate realization that you have sinned???? Because whatever that word is, that’s what happened to me. Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Psalm 51:1 Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your kind and gentle intervention in my heart today!

We are still celebrating Easter over here! Remember, the Church celebrates Easter for FIFTY whole days! Today I am sharing a must have for our family for Easter - hashbrown casserole. Hashbrown casserole is super easy to make and is unbelievably good. Potatoes and cheese...such an amazing combination. I could eat it every single day. Hashbrown Casserole 2 lbs of frozen hash browns, thawed 1/2 c butter, melted 1 tsp salt 1 tsp pepper 1/2 c chopped onion 1 c sour cream 1 can cream of chicken soup 8oz grated cheddar cheese Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Pour into a buttered 13 X 9 X 2 inch pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Happy Eastertide!