the joy of new old things

we've gone "stir crazy" for our stir crazy popcorn popper that is. so much cheaper and healthier to pop your own, and the kids love to see how quickly it pops. what we took for granted as kids is fun to introduce to our kids now who think popcorn comes saturated in orange chemicals to pop in the microwave.






happy new year!

packages of care

nick's been gone almost 6 of the 9 weeks (but who's counting...) and before he left i tucked a little paper mache box that was wrapped in 8 different colored thread or ribbon. the idea was for him to remove one thread each week, and that would be the color of the package we'd be sending that week. once all the threads/ribbons were gone, then he could look inside the box and read a note of encouragement about coming home. it's been just as fun for us to peruse the grocery store looking for colored items. i thought light blue would be a hard week, but look at all the things we found!

granola

another favorite recipe is homemade granola. we make it with tupelo honey, a good blood sugar level honey. the kids like it as cereal, or as a finger food (especially straight out of the oven while it's still warm) or on vanilla ice cream or yogurt. it doesn't last too long around here.
here's the recipe:

melt 1/2 c. butter with 1/2 c. honey until melted. let bubble for a minute or two (the longer you let it boil, the more it will harden the oats).

add to 4 c. of oatmeal with any additives you choose (dried fruit, nuts, etc.)
we like to add dried, unsweetened coconut (from bob's red mill) and pecans or walnuts.

spread on a cookie sheet with a small lip,
bake in a 400* oven for 10 min. stir half way through.
it should be a med/dark brown color, but not smell over-cooked.

guest blogger: jack henry

sharing his favorite lunch/snack to make.

How To Make A Quesadilla

View more presentations from rufam.

food traditions

a couple of months ago, i read molly wizenberg's book and was touched by the simplicity of documenting family favorite recipes and the stories behind them. why, we should all write books! of course, i have never been a witty writer, and have never been interested in being published (my cousin, mike, and i tried to co-write a book once, he was the author, i was the illustrator. i think we were about 10) but family history is something i wish was documented more often (my aunt gail is the family champion for the robinson side of the family--she's dug up so much interesting information on my dad's parents/grandparents).

so, since the purpose of this blog is to document our family history, i hope to share (and have an occasional guest blogger or seven) some of our favorite recipes and the story behind them. in that spirit i present to you, chicken poppyseed casserole:

this became a family favorite after i had our third child and our oldest was just 2 years and 9 months old. my lovely southern friend/mentor (we were living in pa at the time, so her southern charm was somewhat of a novelty) jeanette brought this meal to us since we were quarantined for the first 2 months of his life.

chicken poppyseed casserole
serves 4-6? i always double it the kids love it for leftovers

2 c. cooked cut up chicken (layer in 8x8 pan)
mix together:
one can cream of chicken soup (i make my own from ground navy beans and some chicken broth)
and one cup sour cream. spread on top of chicken

crush one sleeve of ritz type crackers (a great job for a kid with some frustration to get out)
and mix with one stick of melted butter.

sprinkle with poppyseeds (adds no real taste, but makes it look pretty)
bake at 350* for 30 minutes or until bubbly.
serves great with rolls and brown sugar carrots.

the creamery

the creamery has always been a favorite spot to stop for "penny" candy. but last winter the creamery was closed for remodeling, and we were afraid it wouldn't be the same.
when we stopped after the railroad, we were pleasantly surprised to see they kept most of its original charm, and even added a two sided honeycomb, complete with live bees making honey! (bottom right photo).
of course, the candy is now sold by the pound rather than the piece, and it's a bit more expensive than a penny each :)

helper

freezing corn

i love to freeze corn, and lancaster county has the best. we always wait until the butter and sugar corn comes in (note the yellow and white coloring) because it freezes so well. we did 20 dozen or so and it will all have to stay in sue's freezer, since my little 'ol side by side does not have much room. thanks for hosting us at your house snyders! and for shucking all the corn darrell and cody! we girls had so much fun!

before and after--food

before--berries from roots


after--thanks heidi


next time i'll have to double the recipe. with nick and karis gone to quebec on a missions trip, we had just enough for dessert for all of us (plus a friend of olivia's) and to take two pieces across the street to robin's parents.

look who's cooking again!

we have a built in gas grill in our sunroom. robin's been dying to check out the strength of the vent fan. after one of many church softball games this week, he decided to grill some bubba burgers. here's the result!

robin in the kitchen

we were thrilled to get a call last friday night from my sister who was in ohio en route to my mom's in n.j. asking if they could spend the night. we were even more excited that it only took them 10 hours to get here, so it wasn't midnight or beyond when they arrived!

robin had some cooking to do....it hits him every 5-10 years and so he shared his specialty with our brother-in-law, mark (really, we should describe him as brave, courageous, or lacking a full deck for eating something so.... artery clogging. i did make sure his life insurance was paid up before partaking).

can you guess what's in it?




it's a fried lebanon bolgna, egg, mayo and cheese sandwhich on a bagel.
with steak sauce added.
ahem. enjoy, men.

church suppers

one of the things we love about our church is the wednesday night church suppers in the summer, the first of every month. each one has a theme, and the food is always good. july's theme was a pet show with a message with special guests from animal alley and the grilling done by the pastors (pictured is pastor marv).

we love the integration of all ages together, the opportunity to serve families with young children and the atmosphere of informalness at these get togethers. thanks, gbc!

muffin tin lunch

once in a while we make lunch in a muffin tin to make it more fun and exciting.
it's a sure way to make the whole meal disappear.

home-of-our-own-less hospitality

one of the most difficult parts of being home-of-our-own-less for almost 10 weeks now is our inability to invite people into our home.
whether it be to reconnect with old friends, invite the kids' new friends, or attempt to get to know neighbors better, we are keenly aware of how overwhelming it is for an 80-something couple to add 9 people and 2 dogs to their once quiet midst.
for a family that is 80% extroverted socialites, this has proven to be a very hard thing. the solution?
accept every invitation we get to go elsewhere, but seek to bless them however we can.
over the weekend we had the opportunity to visit another friend-from-college couple and their 4 boys.
we hadn't met the youngest two (who are now 10 and 12) but were part of a play group with the oldest two (now 16 and 14).
we took this cake and shared simple desserts while getting caught up on the past 13 years.
other opportunities we've had since we've been here: taking a meal to share with another family, taking brownies/lunch/cookies, etc. to a young family and helping them fold laundry, picking neighbor kids up and taking them to church with us, attending plays that their friends are in, etc. it is not easy, even though i'm doing all the cooking for the 11 of us, to feel the same level of hospitality when i don't have access to my linens, fancy dishes, or recipe books.
but i've found that more than the circumstance of hospitality is cultivating an attitude of it.
it may not be my kitchen, but i can work hard to have an attitude of servitude as if it were my own. and i can carry the spirit of hospitality, truly serving God rather than men, anywhere i go. (and since i keep this blog for my children--since i gave up scrapbooking--and nick has suggested i do so, i'm going to end each post from now on with a Bible verse). this one is so good!

"whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men." colossians 3:23

junk lunch

for the first time

The number 9

A few months ago, when Chick-fil-A was giving away free (.....I can't remember what. a sandwhich? milkshake? something worth wearing 9) to everyone who wore the number 9 (their anniversary) I took these pictures of the 9s we found on clothing.
Can you guess which shirt belongs to which kid?













and I got to thinking about the number 9. there are 9 people in our family. my grandfather had 9 toes. I lived 9 different places (as in homes/apartments/dorms) before getting married. I have been pregnant 9 times. I do at least 9 loads of laundry a week. I am blessed to live with my favorite 9 year old on the planet!

I think 9 is a fun number. How 'bout you?

Rainforest!

ever since robin and i ate here 11 years ago when we were staying up the street for his convention, i've wanted to bring the kids here. every 20-30 minutes there is a thunder/lightning storm, lots of animated animals, rain (real!) falling gently from the ceiling. it's just a once in a lifetime experience. and i thought i was going to surprise the kids. until they told me they already knew all about it, they had seen it on "unwrapped." oh well. they didn't know it was in FL (there are other locations). and I think they enjoyed it. P. wasn't so sure. we heard thunder last night with our short rainstorm, and kept calling it "lightning".
p. was quite enthralled by the tropical bird show out front.

o. in front of one of the many exotic fish tanks. it really is an awe-some place to see.

the bird show. it was so hot, we were wishing she'd miss the birds and squirt US.

they put us at a back table. we were so glad. we got quite a bit of attention, and even a surprise at the end of our meal--the couple who ate quietly at a secluded table for 2 next to us (poor people) had grown up children, and because they only got an appetizer (all food portions are extra large!) they couldn't use their some-kind-of-membership discount, so they gave it to us. 10% off 4 of our entrees, equaling about $9. every little bit helps, and we were appreciative.

Jobs, part 2

Yesterday at CFA, if you wore the number 9, you got a free chicken sandwhich.
There was a moon/tigger bounce (which P. wanted nothing to do with, despite N and our friend Lindsey, working the booth, both trying to talk him into it.




















There was a muscle man contest, which P. agreed to do with Dad, but Dad was the one who got it to the top. Way to go Dad!

Princess Pictures

Cookies and Cream, Coffee-Caramel (K), Vanilla (her good friend Sara), Strawberry and Chocolate (our family friend, Jenna, whom we knew in GA)

In the limo on the way to the big reveal

with "Prince Charming" (note horse in back that he rode on). Really, this is one of the managers.

Back view of the hair. Beautiful, don't you think?

With our friend, "Princess" Molly.

Chick-fil-A Christmas

Here's K and her friend Lindsay from work, at the University Center Club for their party. She won a gift certificate to a local restaurant and a favorite CD, but someone else won a whole Wii system!