Spiritual Moments to Remember: Part 1

Today I am thinking about how Heavenly Father's plan is based on the idea of the agency of mortals to choose their own adventure.  I've chosen mine and have found great joy through that choice.  Naturally, I tend to think that a covenant keeping path would also be a blessing to those I love.  Some have chosen that path, and others have not.

Many tears have been shed over those who chose a different way.  As parents, we cajoled, encouraged, preached, and bribed at times to foster spiritually sound decisions.  I felt like a failure.  I was embarrassed that I wasn't a good enough example.  Maybe I wasn't loving enough, or spiritual enough, or kind enough.

A couple of weeks ago we were singing a church hymn, and the words that asked for the blessing of "courage to accept thy will" appeared in one of the verses.  Suddenly, the thought came to me that part of His will is to recognize the agency of others.  Sometimes, accepting that part of His will requires great courage, great humility, and great faith that He knows so much more than we do.

Before this experience, I thought accepting His will meant being patient during situations that we cannot control. Now, I understand that the Father's will is for all people to be able to choose their own way and for the eternal details to be resolved by Him and through the atonement of Jesus Christ. All of my efforts to teach and be an example were not wasted, but neither were they a formula for my success as a parent.  Successful parenting involves teaching, encouraging, supporting, and then letting go so that the principle of agency is fulfilled.  Successful discipleship means accepting the choices of others, loving them for who they are, and standing ready to comfort and mourn right beside them during their difficult days. By recognizing each person's right to choose their own way, I am finally learning to have the courage to accept the will of the Father.

Chicken & Dumplings

This recipe for chicken and dumplings is a favorite of our family.  I used to make it with canned biscuits and cream-of-chemical soups, but this version is much better tasting and healthier. It contains no artificial colorings, flavorings, or preservatives.

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 thinly sliced carrots
2 ribs celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
64 oz chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream

2 cups self-rising flour
5 Tbsp shortening
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp chopped thyme
1 tsp chopped rosemary

3 chicken breasts, butterflied (To butterfly a chicken breast, slice it in half side to side so that you have two thin pieces rather than a thick piece.)
Salt
Pepper
Olive Oil

Instructions:

Melt butter in a large, heavy pan over medium heat.  Add the onion, carrots, and celery to the pan and saute' until vegetables are soft and tender. Add the minced garlic and cook and stir the mixture for one minute.  Turn the heat off. Add the 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour, salt, and pepper to the vegetable mixture.  Stir until flour is combined with the butter and vegetables.  Turn the heat back on to medium.  Continue to cook and stir the vegetable mixture for 1-2 minutes.  Add the chicken broth.  Cook and stir the mixture and till it is creamy and thick.  Stir in the cream until well combined. Pour half of the creamy soup you made into a second large, heavy pan.  Cover the pans, turn the heat to low, and make the dumplings.

To make the dumplings, in a mixing bowl, combine the self-rising flour, shortening, and buttermilk.  Turn the mixture onto a flour-dusted counter top.  Pour the herbs on top of the dough.  Knead the dough 10-12 times or until the dough is smooth and the herbs are well combined.  Make 20-25 dumplings by pinching and shaping 1 to 1.5 inch balls of dough.

Increase the heat under the large pans to medium and bring the creamy soup to a low boil.  Gently place half of the dumplings into the creamy soup in one pan and the other half in the second pan.  Return the lids to the pans.  Turn heat to low and allow the dumplings to cook for 15 minutes. DO NOT lift the lids of the pans.  (Using two pans allows the dumplings the space to expand and get fluffy.  This step is really important.)

Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken breasts.  Using tongs and a paper towel, apply olive oil to a grill pan.  Heat the grill pan over medium heat for about three minutes.  Place the chicken on the grill pan, and reduce the heat to low.  Allow the chicken to cook for 4 minutes, then turn it and cook for 4 more minutes.  Remove chicken from grill pan and let rest for 3-4 minutes.  Dice the chicken.  By this time, the dumplings should be finished cooking.  Combine the two pots of soup and dumplings and add the diced chicken.  Serve in large shallow bowls.  Makes 4-6 servings.

Tender, smothered pork chops

4-6 1-inch thick boneless pork chops
1 cup flour
4 tsp paprika
1 Tbsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
4-8 oz sliced fresh cremini mushrooms
2 cloves garlic minced
2 cups milk

Combine the flour, paprika, salt, and pepper.  Dredge the pork chops in the flour mixture. (Save the flour mixture for the sauce).
Melt the butter in a skillet then brown the pork chops on both sides.  Place the pork chops in a shallow baking dish.
Add the onions and mushrooms to the butter and saute until the onion is soft.  Add the garlic and continue cooking until the garlic is fragrant.  Stir in 1/2 cup of the flour mixture.  Cook and stir for 1 minute.  Add 2 cups of milk.  Stir and cook until the sauce thickens.  Pour the sauce over the pork chops.  Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes.  Serve over mashed potatoes.

Southern Fried Chicken

8-12 chicken pieces with skin and bones intact
4 cups flour, divided
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp pepper, divided
1 cup buttermilk
2 tsp seasoning salt
2- 3 cups vegetable oil

Combine 2 cups of flour with 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper.  Put that on a paper plate.  Put the buttermilk on another paper plate.  Place other 2 cups of flour, 1/2 tsp pepper, and the seasoning salt in a large plastic bag.  Dip each chicken in the flour mixture on the plate, then in the buttermilk, then put it in the bag of flour.  After 3-4 pieces of chicken are in the bag, shake the bag until the pieces are coated.  Place the chicken pieces in a single layer on a plate.  Continue the coating process until all chicken is coated and on the plate.  Allow the chicken to rest for 20-30 minutes. (The coating should look kind of gummy).  Heat about 1/4 inch of oil in an electric skillet to 350 degrees.  Place the chicken skin-side-down and cook for 10 minutes.  Turn the chicken and cook for 10 more minutes.  Cover the skillet, reduce the heat to 275 degrees and cook for 20 minutes.  Remove the lid, turn the chicken (to skin-side down) and cook five more minutes with the lid off.  Remove the chicken from the skillet to a serving plate.  Let rest 5 minutes before serving

Ward Conference Talk Feb 12, 2017

           Elder W. Craig Zwick teaches us that “Obedience brings blessings, but exact obedience brings miracles.”  Because I am looking for a miracle to successfully deliver this talk, I’ll do my very best to be exactly obedient regarding the time allotted.  For a girl from the South, a four minute talk can be challenging when just saying “hello” usually takes five minutes.

            When Jesus Christ was crucified, the signs foretold for centuries by prophets came to pass in the Americas.  Tempests, earthquakes, fires, and whirlwinds brought about the destruction of many great cities and many wicked people.  So great was the destruction that the scriptures say that the mourning, howling, and weeping occurred continually among the people.  Suddenly, amidst the darkness that blanketed their surroundings, the people who were spared from the calamities heard the voice of the Lord.  In 3 Nephi 9:14, we can read His invitation: “Yea, verily I say unto you, if ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life.  Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive, and blessed are those who come unto me.”

            Because our mortal lives are fraught with so many challenges, it may sometimes seem that we are blanketed by darkness.  It may sometimes seem that the way is too narrow and that some of our most desired blessings are out of our grasp.  Yet, despite our inability to believe sometimes, Jesus Christ always provides a way for each of us.  When I was a very young child, I was adopted by good people who taught strong values despite lacking any religious affiliation.  I was baptized into the church when I was 20 years old, but my parents strongly protested my choice.  Later, I chose to marry in the temple even though my parents drove to the temple to try to talk me out of my decision.  I felt badly for bringing heartache to my mom and dad. I worried that their bitterness over my baptism and temple marriage might result in them never accepting the gospel, but I felt strongly that I should move forward in faith.  As a new convert to the church wrestling with my guilt about causing a family rift, I frequently pondered upon the purpose for my life circumstances and why I was placed in my adoptive family.  An answer came about 15 years later when my daddy, Tony died.  After his funeral, I was visiting with my dad’s sister and she said, “Do the Mormons still have Mutual on Wednesday nights?”  I replied affirmatively and asked her how she knew about the youth program.  She shared with me that when she was growing up, her next door neighbor and best friend was LDS and that she had frequently been a guest at midweek activities.  She said, “your grandpa, loved the Mormons.  He even took lessons from the missionaries.”   “Was he baptized?”, I asked. “No”, replied my aunt. “He announced one night at supper that he wanted to be baptized and your grandma said that if he got baptized by the Mormons, she would take us kids and go back to Sweetwater, Texas.  Grandpa just looked at her for a minute and said, “Well, I’m sorry that things are this way, but I can tell you this: Someday, somehow- maybe even after I die- I will be baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.” With tears in her eyes, my aunt continued, “I know your grandpa really wanted to be baptized and I thought you should know.”  Soon after that encounter, I watched with great joy as my husband performed my grandfather’s baptism by proxy.  Surely, despite insurmountable circumstances, the Lord provided a way for my grandfather.

            Because of my dad’s disapproval of my baptism and temple marriage, I have worried about whether he would ever accept the gospel.    Recently, in the temple as several of our ward members participated in family sealings, I acted as a daughter for some couples.  During this process, the sealer stopped and commented on the power of sealings and covenants.  He asked us to imagine for a moment a daughter asking a parent to please accept the gospel so that they could be together forever and how powerful that invitation would be.  At that moment, the Spirit impressed upon me that with my grandpa now baptized and my dad’s adoptive daughter beckoning for a forever family this pure-hearted man would accept the gospel.  Through the power of temple ordinances, the Lord has now provided a way for my father.  We are finding a way to become an eternal family.

            I tell you about these experiences as a reminder that our Heavenly Father loves and provides a way for each and every one of us, individually.  Jesus Christ came to this earth to give His life so that each of us might have the opportunity to return to our Heavenly Home. Ezekiel 16:8 says, “Now when I passed by thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord God, and thou becamest mine.”  He is ours because we are His.  We have a way because He is the Way.  In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

"The Rolls"

Guest blog post today!  I'm Bri, Joy's oldest daughter.  I come to bring you... THE ROLLS.

We never had any other name for them when I was growing up, because they were just 'the rolls'.  All other rolls were imposters--lesser, adulterated versions of the real thing.  They are light and fluffy; if clouds were ever transmuted into bread-form, they would be incarnated in these rolls.

This recipe has now reached its third generation.  When my mother married my father, her new mother-in-law taught her how to make them.  My own mother was gracious enough to teach me, and now I get to share them with all of you.

Leave plenty of time for the rising, because it is critical to the texture.  Don't be discouraged if they're not perfect the first time--mine certainly weren't!  It may take a little practice to get the knack for exactly how the dough should feel.  The practice, however, is well worth it.  I don't think we've ever taken these rolls anywhere and had leftovers.

Without further ado: THE BEST ROLLS EVER.

Two Hour Rolls

Ingredients:

2 small packages (1 ½ T) dry yeast

1/3 c sugar

1 egg

2 ½ c warm water (Hottest tap water works fine)

1/3 c + 1 T vegetable oil

1 t salt

7 cups all-purpose flour

In large bowl, beat egg.  Add warm water slowly while continuing to beat egg.  Stir in sugar and yeast.  Place bowl on heating pad for approx. 5 minutes, until yeast proofs (“bubbles”).  Add salt and oil and mix well.  Add flour and mix well.  Begin kneading the dough. Add extra flour as needed by small handfuls until the dough no longer sticks to your hands.  Knead for 3 minutes.  Lift the dough out of the bowl and spray with Pam.  Replace dough.  Place the bowl of dough on heating pad on a low setting and cover with damp (not wet) towel until doubled in size.  Punch down.  Form into 24 rolls and place on a greased 10x15x1 baking sheet.  Put back on heating pad until doubled in size again.  Bake in 375 F oven for 12-15 minutes.

Quick and Easy Creamy Tomato Soup

2 cups chicken broth
1 can diced tomatoes (do not drain)
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Put the chicken broth and tomatoes in a sauce pan.  Heat to boiling.  Reduce heat to low then add cream, baking soda, and sugar.  Let simmer for 10-15 minutes.  Add basil, salt, and pepper.  Remove from heat and pour into a deep bowl.  Use an immersion blender to liquify the tomatoes.  Serves 4.