Gleanings of Wheat

I found this linked over at Thrifty Mommy this morning and it sounds really interesting so I'm adding it to my list of recipes to try. Maybe tomorrow or this weekend. 3 to 4 cups cubed cooked chicken 3 cups frozen chopped broccoli, thawed 2 cans (10-3/4 ounces each) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted 1 cup mayonnaise 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese 1 cup crushed butter-flavored crackers (about 25) 1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted 1/2 cup sliced almonds In a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish, layer chicken and broccoli. In a bowl, combine soup and mayonnaise; spoon over the broccoli. Sprinkle with cheese. Combine the crackers and butter; sprinkle over the cheese. Top with almonds. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown. Yield: 6-8 servings.

Ok, I'm a little over dramatic - I probably wasn't dying a couple days ago but it sure felt like it! I don't know what hit me, but it wiped me out. I went to bed Saturday night feeling fine and woke up quite sick. I can't remember ever being so sick that I couldn't stand up, but that's what I got on Sunday. I also can't remember ever passing out because I was sick, but that's what I did on Sunday. Thankfully the kids' dad is on leave and kept them during the weekend for me so I got to be a bum and not do anything. Not that I was physically able to do anything anyway. Now I'm basically recovered. I've got a nasty migraine and a strange ringing noise in my ears, but I'm not throwing up anymore and I can take care of the kids. Praise God for His mercy. It hit while the kids were gone and the worst of it passed before they came home.

A post on a message board I frequent has me thinking on faith, specifically on drifting away from it. This person says that they are drifting towards agnosticism and today it struck me that this is a very interesting way of looking at it. I doubt this person would say they have run from God, rather I get the feeling from reading their posts that they simply stopped running to God. This got me thinking about my faith and the times when I feel most distant from Him. I'm fairly certain that most (if not all) of those seasons have come not from me consciously saying "I'm going to ignore Him and turn my back on Him," instead they often come simply from me saying "I've worked hard enough, I'm OK where I am at, I'm just going to relax for a bit." I grow lazy, I grow complacent about my sinfulness, and while I may not deny Him with my outward actions my heart reveals its own inherent sinfulness. I put what I want to do, or not do, before what God has c...

I thought I'd share a link to a conference that is happening in Chicago right now. The speaker line up is amazing, John Piper and Nancy Leigh Demoss kicked things off yesterday - I'm listening to Piper's message as I type this. The mp3s are available online, and I think there might be a live video feed if you really want to see what is going on. Anyway, if you listen to it I hope each of you will be blessed. Kristina

I am a huge fan of Chinese food. When I was pregnant with my daughter I ate egg rolls for breakfast, lunch, and dinner a lot of the time. I know, it was a bit crazy - but the local restraunt loved me. Anyway, sesame chicken is one of my favorite dishes and this one got pretty close to the restaurant quality. Not quite, but in a pinch this will certainly suffice. I served this on a bed of microwavable noodles I picked up at Walgreens when I realized I didn't have any rice in the house. The rice would have been better. Oh well. Oh! Also feel free to throw in various veggies. I suggest baby corn and green peppers. 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts 1/4 cup honey 1/4 cup soy sauce 1/2 cup water 1 tablespoon cornstarch* 1/2-1 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2-1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional) 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds Cut chicken breast into 1 inch strips or bite size pieces. Heat a large non-stick skillet that has been sprayed with Pam, over medium-high heat. Cook chicken for ...

I got this from Cooks.com and it turned out great. Absolutely great. I served it with a side of yellow rice, but I forgot to make corn bread like I had originally planned. 1 (14 1/2 oz.) stewed tomatoes 1/4 c. mild chili salsa 3/4 c. chopped onion 1 garlic clove, minced 1/4 tsp. salt 4 boneless/skinless chicken breast halves 3 tbsp. all-purpose flour 2 tbsp. olive oil 2 c. hot cooked rice 1/2 c. sour cream, divided In medium bowl, combine tomatoes, salsa, onion, garlic and salt. Set aside. Coat chicken with flour. In 10 inch skillet with cover, heat oil over medium heat. Saute chicken for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Pour sauce over chicken. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until chicken is tender. Spoon 1/2 cup rice onto 4 individual plates. Top with chicken and 1/2 cup sauce. Garnish each with dollop sour cream. Makes 4 servings.