New Beginnings and Old Recipes!

I’ve had this blog post rolling around in my head for weeks now.  I have pondered how this year has developed and all it has brought to life.   Thanksgiving always makes me a bit reflective.  Most people are reflective at the New Year, but my reflective journey definitely begins at Thanksgiving.  Every year I always feel like I have so much to be thankful for. 

Last year was the first year that I stuttered a bit when I began to list all my many blessings.  I have a few regrets about not seeing all the good that last year brought. I knew I had a narrow perspective on the good stuff.  I was just about 4-5 months into my journey with this nerve injury.  I still was pretty shocked that I was in this situation. I was thankful that the injury wasn’t any worse than it was, and I was thankful for all that my family had done for me during my healing and recovery period… but deep inside I was a bit angry.  I was also pretty frightened.  I was afraid of not knowing what to expect…or even what was really wrong and what caused injury.  Here I am, a year later, and I still don’t really know what the future holds for recovery, or what the real cause of the injury was, but I have moved past the phase of being fearful of that. 

I have now seen that through the toughest challenges, there are always blessings that intertwine with the tough days.  The birth of this business has been a HUGE blessing.  I do not think that I ever would have leaped out there and done this if I still had my “real” job…with a REAL paycheck! (lol…but for real!)  Because of this little business, I have met some of the most wonderful people and made some very dear friends that I know will be friends for life!  That is my biggest blessing of all this year…except for my granddaughter, Lori!!  J  I have been able to be at home and enjoy this home that we have and our little fur family. I love my little world in the Hill Country.  I have a new perspective on what life can offer…It may not be exactly how you planned it, but it can possibly be better!!  

I miss being a nurse…don’t get me wrong.  I so miss being a part of bringing new life into the world.  It was such a huge honor and responsibility.  I loved how challenging it was.  However, I love the creativity of my embroidery business, and I love the great customers I have, and how gracious they have been to me.  I love the challenge of building a business in today’s crazy Big Box world.  I now have a new appreciation for small businesses all over and I make a conscious decision to shop them for everything I can. 

Life is good, Chickens…really good! 

Now…about the old recopies!  I also take this time of year to remember my grandmother and what an amazing cook she was. I miss her so…she could take anything and make it taste good…except cabbage.  I never really liked cabbage!  At Thanksgiving, she made a feast to feed an army.  Her cornbread dressing was my favorite thing she made.  I was never able to wait for her to cook it to eat some! She would make it up and pour the chicken broth in and let it sit for a while to soak up and then bake it….I would get a spoon and eat it right out of the pan while it was still a pile of mush! You know it must have tasted good if I was eating mush!!  I wish I could share this recipe with y’all.  Fact is, she never really had a written recipe.  To my grandmother, everything was measured in a “pinch” or “dash”, or she would cup her hand and say, “about this much.”  But dang, her food was always consistently delish!  So…here is an old recipe for another favorite of mine that my aunt always made at Thanksgiving.  She actually had a real recipe!  I hope y’all have a wonderful Thanksgiving and I want to thank you all so very much….from the bottom of my heart!!

Broccoli Cheese Casserole

1 pkg of frozen Broccoli Cuts

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can ccream of chicken soup

1.5 cups celery -finely chopped

1 cup onion chopped

I lg jar of cheese whiz…you read it! (use jalapeno cheese whiz if you can find it!  J)

1 jar of sliced mushrooms

Cook one cup of white rice according to directions and that will go in the casserole…makes about 2 cups of cooked rice!

Just mix everything together and put in casserole dish.  Bake at 350deg. For 1 hour.  If you really love cheese, you can also top with cheddar before baking!!