Do you think the only way you can minister to others. Is by being a Preacher/Teacher/Missionary? I did.. And I WAS WRONG!

Ira D. Ogdon (1872-1964) was a public school teacher who had plans for an evangelistic career. She abandoned that dream to care for her ailing father. In 1913, Ogdon wrote Brighten the Corner Where You Are to remind Christians that the pulpit and the mission field were not the only places one might make a difference for the Kingdom of God. Other of her hymns, such as Carry your Cross With a Smile and What Would Jesus Do?, follow the same theme.

The music for Brighten the Corner Where You Are was composed by well-known musician Charles Hutchinson Gabriel (1856-1932). Gabriel wrote lyrics to more than 20 hymns, including I Stand Amazed In the Presence, and he composed the music for close to 100 songs, including the famous Will the Circle be Unbroken.

Brighten the Corner Where You Are has been sung in Sunday Schools and churches of many denominations, and has been recorded by several artists, including the great American jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald.

Brighten the Corner Where You Are

Do not wait until some deed of greatness you may do,

Do not wait to shed your light afar,

To the many duties ever near you now be true,

Brighten the corner where you are.

Refrain:

Brighten the corner where you are!

Brighten the corner where you are!

Someone far from harbor you may guide across the bar;

Brighten the corner where you are!

Just above are clouded skies that you may help to clear,

Let not narrow self your way debar;

Though into one heart alone may fall your song of cheer,

Brighten the corner where you are.

Refrain

Here for all your talent you may surely find a need,

Here reflect the bright and Morning Star;

Even from your humble hand the Bread of Life may feed,

Brighten the corner where you are.

Refrain

“And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”(Colossians 3:17) 

What would you call this?? Artwork or just someone being Bored?

I found this online.. and thought wow.. I am not sure what to think about it.. 

Is it a person's artwork?

Or is it the result of a person being BORED??

Which one would you call it?

Would you indeed rather have Jesus.. Rather than SILVER OR GOLD??

In 1922,a woman named Rhea F. Miller wrote a poem. In 1932, a copy of that poem was placed on the top of an organ in a family home in New York. Seated at the organ was a 23-year-old musician named George Beverly Shea.

Miller's poem caught young George's attention. The words on the paper rang true to the cry of his heart. And so, he set them to music. Upon hearing her son singing this testimony of commitment, George's mother came in from the kitchen, with tears in her eyes, and encouraged him to sing the new song in church the following Sunday.

As the congregants listened to George's deep voice sing out I'd Rather Have Jesus, than silver and gold, little did they know that the song was destined to become one of the most well-known of all contemporary Christian songs.
. 
A few years later, George joined forces with another young man - Evangelist Billy Graham. Together they traveled the world. Billy would preach and George would sing. His two favorite songs were How Great Thou Art, and his signature song, I'd Rather Have Jesus.

I'd Rather Have Jesus

I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold,
I'd rather have His than have riches untold;
I'd rather have Jesus than houses or lands,
I'd rather be led by His nailpierced hand

Refrain:
Than to be the king of a vast domain
And be held in sin's dread sway;
I'd rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today.

I'd rather have Jesus than men's applause,
I'd rather be faithful to His dear cause;
I'd rather have Jesus than worldwide fame,
I'd rather be true to His holy name

Refrain

He's fairer than lilies of rarest bloom,
He's sweeter than honey from out the comb;
He's all that my hungering spirit needs,
I'd rather have Jesus and let Him lead

Refrain

“Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.” (Philippians 3:8). 

OH LORD.. MAKE THIS OUR HEARTS CRY!

Salvation.. Awaits..

Just As I Am has been around since 1835. It was made especially popular in the 20th century as the 'official' altar call song of the Billy Graham Crusades. Many souls have found Jesus as Savior in response to the simple beauty of this song.

When poet Charlotte Elliott (1789-1871) was 46 years old, an elderly man approached her at a dinner party and asked if she was a Christian. She considered him rude and unkind, and that his question was inappropriate. After the man walked away, Charlotte could not get his question out of her mind so she went to find the man, and to ask how to become a Christian. That night she received Jesus as her Lord and Savior. Soon thereafter she wrote Just As I Am as a testimony to her newfound faith, and as a tribute to the man who had told her that she could come to Christ, 'just as she was'. Over the remainder of her life Charlotte wrote 150 hymns.

Just As I Am

Just as I am, without one plea,
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bidst me come to Thee,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, and waiting not
To rid my soul of one dark blot,
To Thee whose blood can cleanse each spot,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, though tossed about
With many a conflict, many a doubt,
Fightings and fears within, without,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind;
Sight, riches, healing of the mind,
Yea, all I need in Thee to find,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, Thou wilt receive,
Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
Because Thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, Thy love unknown
Hath broken every barrier down;
Now, to be Thine, yea, Thine alone,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, of that free love
The breadth, length, depth, and height to prove,
Here for a season, then above,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come! 

Does God make mistakes??

  I'm sure we can all agree that God made everything on purpose. He makes nothing by accident. Nothing is happy until it finds the purpose for which God has make it. Seems like all we hear these days is "I want my rights" or "I want what is owed to me". Everyone is talking this way....but what about my purpose..my purpose.. or my place.. my place. That is what I want to address here. 

         You have only one right in life. And that is to find God's will and purpose for your life. Then sit securely and work actively right in the center of God's purpose and place for you. It is really the only way to find contentment. To be in the will of God is the highest honor given us. God has a specific purpose for each of His creatures. So, God then has a purpose for women. 

I can see some of you are almost shell shocked at reading this..
(Did I say it was easy? NO! NO! NO!)
But who among us hasn't heard the old time adage about 
"The things worth having aren't easy.. and the things that are easy aren't worth having?!"

But it is true.

Where else can you be the happiest?

God made you!

Psa_22:10  I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother's belly. 

God says in his word that from the moment you were being created in the womb that he had a plan for you..

Jer_1:5  Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. 

Gal 1:15  But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, 

Gal 1:16  To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: 

God has planned out your life.. As he would have it go..

Now we have free will and we are free to choose to do things contrary to his divine will for us..

And many of us do.. Actually ALL OF US DO..

First let me say that God didn't create man for you. Yep! you heard me right. God created you to be a help meet for man. You see ladies, I believe God saved the best for last....woman....created after everything else..Because man was incomplete...He had it all there in the garden. Every perfect thing and direct fellowship with God. But God saw that something was missing...He wanted Adam to have the best of everything, every desire met. So, to top off a perfect world He created woman FOR THE MAN.

Of course there isn't a "women's libber alive that sees any truth in what I'm trying to say here. Do you know what these women's libbers are? They are a group of confused women trying to find happiness and failing because they are searching outside of God's Word and God's plan. They say, "I have my rights too". No they don't-not yet! A woman does not have any right in this world until she's done this. Check it in the Bible; Always in the Bible she is to be the follower;

Eph 5:22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

Then in verse 25;

Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

Who's supposed to start it? The wives! In Ephesians 6:1 we find,

Eph 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. and then in verse 4, Eph 6:4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

         What does that mean? God gives the command first to the follower. He says, "I want the wife to do her job first". That means He wants the child to obey the Mother first. That means He wants the child to obey even if the dad/mom is never the right kind of dad(If you don't believe that.. Check into the story of Abraham and Isaac.. Daddy Abraham allowed his wife Sarah to be taken into a kings harem to essentially be used as a sex toy.. TWICE.. Yet you never find a place where God made some provision for Isaac to not have to obey his daddy.. EVEN WHEN ABRAHAM took him up a mountain to slay him as a sacrifice unto God.. But then again.. God knew he wasn't going to make Abraham actually kill the child. Yet I bet Isaac was pretty scared! I admit in my humanity I would have run). God specifically instructs children to obey regardless! Now lets look at another example from the Word of God,

Also parents.. Side note here.. If your child never learns to obey an respect you.. How do you expect he will ever obey anyone else? How about respecting another source of authority? Where will he learn that?

Oh and Mommy.. If you speak trash about your husband.. The kids will know it..
They will in turn do it to you.. Sass you.. Backtalk.. You better watch what you sew.. 
I should know.. I almost ruined my marriage with that.. And I have an 11 year old boy.. who still thinks he has the right to rip me up and down.. And who taught it to him.. I DID.. Hangs head in shame! 

Eph 6:5 Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;

and then in verse 9 the masters are exhorted to be good masters. God always puts on the follower the burden of having the initiative and the being aggressive in their obedience. Wives, you do it first. Children, you do it first. Servants you do it first. 

BUT.. Here's the key.. GOD WILL NOT BLESS A MAN OR A MASTER 
Who is harsh, unkind, inconsiderate..
He won't take our duty to obey the orders God gave us.. 
But God protects us.. 
God works in our lives.. Often to help us in unseen ways..

But woman ... Stop and understand something..

         He wasn't made to help you in the home, but if he does that is an added blessing, but it is not part of God's plan. You were made for him not the other way around. Man's main business is outside the home, woman’s in. It’s our domain, our castle. So he doesn't clean, give you the attention that you crave, well the Bible doesn't say he's supposed to do that. You be what you ought to be so you can make your man to be what he ought to be and in that.. VERY OFTEN.. God puts it into the heart of a man or a master/boss to give you what you need.

What happens if he doesn't change you ask.. Well Israel the nation did spend 400 years in slavery in Egypt.. Maybe instead of taking you out of the situation.. He wants you to be a blessing to those near you.. In the situation your in! 

But I don't like to hear that..
I know.. 
I don't either..
BUT..
I will tell you.. I would hate to be the woman who forsook some of the blessings GOD had for me.. by being disobedient.

Now.. let me also clarify one thing..
**ABUSE**
God doesn't tell you to stay if your being hit!
Get to safety.. And if your husband can NEVER be trusted again.. 
STAY SINGLE..
As long as you are alive and he is alive.. God could work a miracle..
Do you want to see God work a miracle?? In your life??

¹⁰ And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband:

¹¹ But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.

¹² But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away.

¹³ And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.

¹⁴ For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.

¹⁵ But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.

¹⁶ For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?

1 Corinthians 7:10-16

³² But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord:

³³ But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife.

³⁴ There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband.

³⁵ And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction.

³⁶ But if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely toward his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and need so require, let him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them marry.

³⁷ Nevertheless he that standeth stedfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power over his own will, and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, doeth well.

³⁸ So then he that giveth her in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better.

³⁹ The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.

⁴⁰ But she is happier if she so abide, after my judgment: and I think also that I have the Spirit of God.

 1 Corinthians 7:32-40

Another Hymn.. If this doesn't make your heart just leap.. I don't know what will

Here is some history to a well loved Hymn...

Augustus Montague Toplady (1740 to 1778), was an unusual child. His father died when he was very young and so he was raised by his mother who adored and spoiled him. He was not very well liked by his peers or his relatives, partly because they did not relate to his extreme intelligence, and partly because he was sickly and neurotic.

Controversy followed Toplady throughout his short 38 years of life, but he did not let that stop him. At a very young age he showed a keen interest in developing a relationship with God. By age 12 he was preaching sermons, and at age 14 he began writing hymns. He was ordained as an Anglican priest at the age of 22. Although some thought him to be arrogant and obstinate, excerpts from his writings verify that he was a devoted and humble follower of Christ.

An example of one of the many poems Toplady wrote between the ages of 15 and 16 years:
Refining Fuller, make me clean,
On me thy costly pearl bestow:
Thou art thyself the pearl I prize,
The only joy I seek below.

An excerpt from his personal journal, at age 27: 
O, my Lord let not my ministry be approved only, or tend to be no more than conciliating the esteem and affections of my people to thy unworthy messenger; but to do the work of thy grace upon their hearts: call in thy chosen; seal and edify thy regenerate; and command thy everlasting blessing upon their souls! Save me from self-opinion, and from self-seeking; and may they cease from man, and look solely upon thee.

Toplady was a staunch Calvinist, and a very outspoken opponent of John Wesley's Arminian theology. In 1776, two years before his death, he wrote an article on God's forgiveness. The purpose of this publication was to refut statements made by Wesley. The article concluded with Todlady's poem, Rock of Ages; a poem that would many years later find its way into the very same hymnals as many of John's brother, Charles Wesley's (Arminian) songs.
Rock of Ages

Rock of ages, cleft for me
let me hide myself in thee;
let the water and the blood,
from thy wounded side which flowed,
be of sin the double cure;
save from wrath and make me pure.

Not the labors of my hands
can fulfill thy law's commands;
could my zeal no respite know,
could my tears forever flow,
all for sin could not atone;
thou must save, and thou alone.

Nothing in my hand I bring,
simply to the cross I cling;
naked, come to thee for dress;
helpless, look to thee for grace;
foul, I to the fountain fly;
wash me, Savior, or I die.

While I draw this fleeting breath,
when mine eyes shall close in death,
when I soar to worlds unknown,
see thee on thy judgment throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
let me hide myself in thee.
“The Lord is my Rock, and my Fortress, and my Deliverer.” (Psalm 18:2) 

I've been inspired by the great HYMNS!

One day Fanny Crosby overheard her friend and fellow musician Phoebe Knapp playing a new composition on the organ. Phoebe told Fanny the tune was called Assurance. Fanny replied: 'Blessed Assurance! Jesus is mine!' And so began the collaboration that was to become one of Christendom's most beloved hymns. Blessed Assurance was published in 1873.

Blessed Assurance

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

Refrain: 
This is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long;
this is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long.

Perfect submission, perfect delight!
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels descending bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

Refrain

Perfect submission, all is at rest!
I in my Savior am happy and blest,
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with his goodness, lost in His love.

Refrain 

Why are the people of my nation becoming more and more CRANKY!?

Why can't we see how blessed we are?

We stress out over so many things.. that in a few days aren't that important after all

..A murmuring mouth is particularly grieving to God because it reveals discontent in God.

Psalm 106 says that one of the reasons God made the people of Israel “fall in the wilderness” was because they “murmured in their tents” (v. 25, 26). This has serious consequences...

1. IT MODELS SATAN



The angel Lucifer was the first grumbler. The onset of his fall from heaven was a result of dissatisfaction in his position and the desire to be like God. Writes Burroughs [author of The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment}:

“The Devil is the most discontented creature in the world, he is the proudest creature that is, and the most discontented creature, and the most dejected creature. Now, therefore, so much discontent as you have, so much of the spirit of Satan you have.”



2. IT IS CONTRARY TO WHO YOU ARE



You are a son and daughter with a heavenly Father who loves you, the deeply beloved bride of Christ, and actual members of Jesus’ body. When you bellyache and complain about every little thing, you mar your royal and treasured position.

“Are you the King’s son, the son, the daughter, of the King of Heaven, and yet so disquieted and troubled, and vexed at every little thing that happens? As if a King’s son were to cry out that he is undone for losing a toy; what an unworthy thing would this be! So do you: you cry out as if you were undone and yet are a King’s son, you who stand in such relation to God, as to a father, you dishonor your father in this; as if either he had not wisdom, or power, or mercy enough to provide for you.”



3. IT IS THE OPPOSITEOF PRAYER



In prayer we come to God with requests and with praise and thankfulness in order to commune with him, but when we grumble, complain and murmur we essentially reverse prayer and rehearse all that we aren’t getting or all that God is not doing that we think he should be doing.

“By murmuring you undo your prayers, for it is exceedingly contrary to the prayer that you make to God. When you come to pray to God, you acknowledge his sovereignty over you, you come there to profess yourselves to be at God’s disposal.”



4. IT IS SIMPLY A WASTE OF TIME



It accomplishes absolutely nothing. It accelerates personal stress and is downright annoying and draining to listen to.

“How many times do men and women, when they are discontented, let their thoughts run, and are musing and contriving, through their present discontentedness and let their discontented thoughts work in them for some hours together, and they spend their time in vain!”



5. IT SWALLOWS UP THE BLESSING OF MERCY BEFORE IT ARRIVES



If you covet a particular mercy of God (say, a big raise), when it finally comes, you won’t be thankful for it but will waste it. Coveting a blessing can turn the blessing into an idolatrous curse.

“Discontent and murmuring eats out the good and sweetness of a mercy before it comes. If God should give a mercy for the want of which we are discontented, yet the blessing of the mercy is, as it were, eaten out before we come to have it. … There are many things which you desire as your lives, and think that you would be happy if you had them, yet when they come you do not find such happiness in them, but they prove to be the greatest crosses and afflictions that you ever had, and on this ground, because your hearts were immoderately set upon them before you had them.”



6. IT WORSENS SUFFERINGS AND AFFLICTIONS



A murmuring attitude in the midst of affliction increases the affliction. Having a bad attitude in the midst of pleasant or mediocre circumstances poisons your heart and the hearts of others, and how much will this increase if this overwhelmingly negative spirit continues and truly difficult circumstances arrive.

“It in no way removes our afflictions, indeed, while they continue, they are a great deal the worse and heavier, for a discontented heart is a proud heart, and a proud heart will not pull down his sails when there comes a tempest and storm. If a sailor, when a tempest and storm comes, is perverse and refuses to pull down his sails, but is discontented with the storm, is his condition any better because he is discontented and will not pull down his sails? Will this help him?”



7. IT WEARS THE HOPELESS COSTUME OF PESSIMISM



This simply means consistent pessimism is not in line with the sure hope and life-changing power of the gospel. There is an inherent optimism within the gospel that produces hope, love, joy, peace, etc. Positive commands like “rejoice in the Lord” and in everything “give thanks” and negative commands like “do not be anxious” and “do not grumble” all reveal that there is a gospel optimism about the Christian life that is to flavor the personality of a Christian.

Throwback Thursday.... I am so glad this study aide didn't catch on!

This bizarre helmet supposedly helped focus by rendering the wearer deaf, piping them full of oxygen, and limiting their vision to a tiny slit. (1925)

Beth's recipe's

Beth's 4-Day Coconut Cake

1 pint sour cream
2 c. sugar

On day one, mix above together and put in refrigerator for 24 hours.

1 box Duncan Hines Yellow Butter cake mix
1 large (16 oz.) Cool Whip
1 bag (7 oz.) frozen coconut (NOT CANNED COCONUT)

On day two, bake cake according to package directions, baking in two round cake pans.  Make 4 layers by cutting each in half. Mix Cool Whip and sour cream mixture together and frost between layers, top and sides.  Sprinkle top and sides with frozen coconut.  Put in airtight container and place in refrigerator for THREE DAYS AND DO NOT EVEN PEEK AT IT UNTIL TIME IS UP!! 

DELICIOUS!  If you like coconut, you will LOVE this.  If you don't like coconut, you will LOVVVVE this!

Beth's Best Golden Pound Cake

1 c. butter
1/2 c. shortening
3 c. sugar
6 eggs
2 t. vanilla
3 c. flour
1 c. milk

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease and flour 10" bundt pan.  In large bowl, cream together butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time, beating very well after each.  Stir in vanilla.  Beat in the flour alternately with the milk, mixing just until incorporated.  Pour batter into greased pan.  Bake for 60-75 minutes or until done.  Makes large cake.

Beth's Scrumptious Red Velvet Cake

Cake:
2 c. sugar

1 t. salt

2 sticks butter, softened

1 c. buttermilk

2 eggs

1 t. vanilla

2 T. cocoa

1/2 t. baking soda

1/4 c. (2 oz.) red food coloring

1 T. vinegar

2 1/2 c. cake flour, sifted

Frosting:
1 (8 oz.) cream cheese

1 (1 lb.) box powdered sugar

1 stick butter, softened

1 c. chopped pecans

1 jar marshmallow cream

Preheat oven to 350.  Cream sugar and butter and beat until light and fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time and mix well after each addition.  Mix cocoa and food coloring together and add to sugar mixture, mixing well.  Sift together flour and salt.  Add flour mixture to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk.  Blend in vanilla.  In small bowl, combine baking soda and vinegar and add to creamed mixture.  Pour batter into 2 greased and floured baking pans.  Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until done.  Remove from heat and cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:
Blend cream cheese and butter together.  Add marshmallow cream and sugar and blend.  Fold in nuts.  Spread between layers and on top and sides of cooled cake.  YUMMY!!

Carla's Brown Sugar Baked Brie

1 round of Brie cheese, rind removed
1 can Pillsbury crescent rolls
1 c. light brown sugar
1/2 c. melted butter
Small package of slivered almonds

Open rolls without separating 2 sections of 4 triangles.  Put 2 sections side by side and press seams together.  Place dough in center of greased Pyrex pie plate.  Put Brie in the center of dough and fold dough up around the Brie, making sure to firmly press the edges together.

Stir together melted butter and brown sugar and pour over the top of the dough.  Sprinkle with almonds.  Bake at 375 for approximately 15 minutes.

Serve with thinly sliced green apples or crackers.  DEEEEELICIOUS!!

Chewy Caramel Squares

1 (14 oz.) bag of caramels
5 T. milk

Mix together:
1 c. flour
1 c. oatmeal
3/4 c. firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 t. baking soda
3/4 c. melted butter

1 c. chocolate chips

Heat oven to 325.  Melt caramels with milk in double boiler.  Mix together flour, oatmeal, brown sugar, baking soda and butter.  Press half of mixture in ungreased 9x13" pan.  Bake for 8 minutes.  Top with melted caramels and sprinkle on chocolate chips.  Crumble on remaining oatmeal mixture and bake 13 minutes more.  Cool and cut into squares.  DELICIOUS!

"Cookie of the Show" - Atlanta Market 

Beth's Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/4 c. unsifted flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 c. margarine, softened
1/2 c. Crisco shortening
3/4 c. firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 c. sugar
1 small package JELLO Instant Vanilla Pudding mix
1 t. vanilla
2 eggs
1 (12 oz.) package chocolate chips

Mix flour with baking soda and set aside.  Combine margarine, shortening, the sugars, pudding mix and vanilla in large mixer and beat until smooth and creamy.  Beat in eggs.  Gradually add flour mixture; then stir in chips.  (Batter will be stiff).  Drop onto ungreased baking sheets.  Bake at 375 for approximately 8 minutes. (Take cookies out of oven before completely done for a chewy cookie --- yummmmmy!)

Colleen's Double Layer Pumpkin Pie

4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 T. milk
1 T. sugar
1 1/2 c. Cool Whip
1 c. cold milk
1 can (16 oz.) pumpkin
2 pkg. (4-serving size) JELLO Vanilla Instant Pudding mix
1 t. ground cinnamon

Mix cream cheese, 1 T. milk and sugar in large bowl and whisk until well blended.  Gently stir in Cool Whip.  Spread onto bottom of graham cracker pie crust.

Pour 1 c. cold milk into large bowl.  Add pumpkin, puddings and cinnamon.  Beat with wire whisk until well blended.  (Mixture will be thick).  Spread over cream cheese layer.  Top with more Cool Whip.

Refrigerate 4 hours or until set.  Store in refrigerator.  DELICIOUS!

Cove Hotel Coffee Frappe`

1 gallon vanilla ice cream
1 pint cream, whipped
1 quart double-strength coffee

Chill coffee.  Soften ice cream by pouring chilled coffee over it in a chilled punch bowl.  Stir in whipped cream and serve.  It should be about the consistency of a milk shake.  Serve 35.  DELICIOUS!!

Daphne's Overnight French Toast

2 T. Karo light corn syrup
1/2 c. butter or margarine
1 c. light brown sugar
1 loaf French bread
8 eggs
1 1/2 c. milk
1 t. vanilla
1 t. cinnamon

In a small saucepan, combine corn syrup, butter and brown sugar until sugar dissolves.  Pour this mixture over the bottom of a 9x13" Corningware pan.

In a bowl, beat together eggs, milk, vanilla and cinnamon.

Slice bread into about 17-20 slices and dip into egg mixture until well coated.

Place bread vertically (like you would with garlic bread) over the sugar mixture in the pan.  Pour remaining egg mixture over bread.  Cover and refrigerate overnight (for breakfast) or all day (for dinner).

Bake uncovered at 350 for 45 minutes.  YUMMMMMMMY!!

Baked Pineapple Surprise

1 (20 oz.) can unsweetened pineapple chunks
1/2 c. sugar
3 T. flour
1 c. Sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
1/4 c. butter
1/2 c. Ritz Cracker crumbs

Drain pineapple, reserving 3 T. juice.  In small bowl, mix sugar, flour, and reserved juice.  Spread over top of drained pineapple. Sprinkle cheese over top.  Mix butter and cracker crumbs and spread on top.  Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes.  Serve hot.  DELICIOUS!  This can be served with a meal, or as a dessert!

Frances' Hot Chicken Salad Pie

3 c. cooked chicken, diced
2 c. cooked rice
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 c. chopped celery
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
1 c. mayonnaise
4 T. lemon juice
2 t. salt
4 hard-cooked eggs, grated
2 9" deep dish pie shells
2 c. crushed Corn Flakes
4 T. butter, melted

Mix all ingredients except Corn Flakes and butter.  Refrigerate overnight or several hours.  Pre-cook pie shells for 10 minutes at 400.  Fill pie shells with chicken mixture and bake 40 minutes at 350.  Melt 4 T. butter and saute` Corn Flakes.  Sprinkle this topping over 2 pies and bake 5 more minutes.  Each pie serves 6.  DELICIOUS!

Beth's Grape Salad

2 lbs. mixed seedless grapes, cut in half (red, green, black) (Make sure grapes are DRY as much as possible).

Mix together:
1 (8-oz.) cream cheese
1 (8-oz.) sour cream
Sugar to taste (I use Splenda)

Mix above ingredients with grapes and place in serving bowl. 

Topping:
Approximately 1 c. light brown sugar
Toasted chopped pecans (oven 350 for approximately 8-10 minutes, stirring constantly so as not to burn).  Set aside to cool.

Sprinkle brown sugar on top of grape mixture and then sprinkle toasted pecans on top of that.  Refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

Can be used as a side item with meal or dessert!  FANTASTIC!!

Halfway to Heaven Bars

1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. light brown sugar
2 egg yolks, reserve whites
1 T. water
1 t. vanilla
2 c. flour
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1 (12 oz.) package chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugars.  Add egg yolks, water and vanilla.  Mix well.  Mix dry ingredients and add to above.  Grease 15" jellyroll pan.  Pat dough into pan.  Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly on top of dough.

Topping:
2 egg whites
1 c. light brown sugar

Beat egg whites until stiff.  Gradually add sugar.  Spread over top of chocolate chips.  Bake 20-25 minutes.  Cool.  Cut into bars.  Makes 4 1/2 dozen bars.  Goooooood!!

Jackie's Pineapple Punch

1 (46 oz.) can pineapple juice, chilled
1 (20 oz.) can crushed pineapple with juice
1 (15 oz.) can cream of coconut
1 (2-liter) bottle Sprite, chilled

Combine all ingredients.  Pour into cups and serve over ice.  YUMMMMMY!!

Krispy Kreme Bread Pudding

2 dozen Krispy Kreme donuts
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)
2 (4.5 oz.) cans fruit cocktail, including juice
2 eggs, beaten
1 (9 oz.) box raisins, optional
1 pinch salt
1 or 2 t. ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350.  Cube donuts into a large bowl.  Pour other ingredients on top of donuts and let soak for a few minutes.  Mix all ingredients together until donuts have soaked up the liquid as much as possible.

Bake for about 1 hour until center has jelled.  Top with butter sauce.

Butter Sauce:
1 stick butter
1 pound box powdered sugar

Melt butter and slowly stir in powdered sugar.  Heat until bubbly.  Pour over each serving of Krispy Kreme bread pudding.  SCRUMPTIOUS!

Mary Jo's Brickle Dip
2 (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/2 - 3/4 c. firmly packed light brown sugar
1 - 2 t. vanilla
1 package Skor or Bits of Brickle

Mix first three ingredients together and when ready to serve, add brickle and mix well.  Delicious on fruit!  (especially strawberries!)

Mom's Cheese-Creamed Spinach
3 (10 oz.) pkgs. frozen chopped spinach
1 (1-1 1/2 oz.) envelope onion soup mix
2 c. sour cream
1/2 c. grated Cheddar cheese

Cook spinach as directed on package and drain.  Combine with onion-soup mix and sour cream.  Pour into greased 2-qt. casserole.  Top with cheese.  Bake in 350 oven for about 25 minutes.  Makes 8-10 servings.  Sooooo Good!!

No Roll Pastry Crust

Sift together:
1 1/2 c. flour
1 t. salt
1 1/2 t. sugar

Mix together:
1/2 c. oil
1 T. cold milk

Preheat oven to 425.  Sift flour mixture into pie plate.  Pour milk mixture in and mix with fork until completely dampened.  Press in pie plate and bake until light golden brown.  Easiest, flakiest and best pie crust!

Sister's Cinnamon Dinner Muffins

1 c. sugar
1/2 t. salt
2 c. flour
2 t. baking powder
3 t. cinnamon

Combine above and sift together.

Add:
1 c. milk
1/2 c. oil
2 beaten eggs

Mix and bake in greased mini muffin tins at 425 for 12-15 minutes.  Batter can be refrigerated up to two weeks.

(Make these with your favorite dinner -- makes the house smell wonderful and company will love them!)

Sue's Javanese Dinner

Boil 1 (3 lb.) chicken; reserve broth

Chicken Sauce:
Heat 3 cans Cream of Mushroom soup, 1 c. of chicken broth, and 2 T. creamy peanut butter.

Prepare rice (enough for 6 servings) according to package directions.  Place garnishes in bowls on table in following order:

Rice
Chicken sauce
Grated Cheddar cheese
Chow mein noodles
Green onion tops, chopped
Cucumbers, chopped
Cherry tomatoes, halved
Pineapple (chunks or crushed, drained)
Coconut
Sliced ripe olives
Sliced almonds

Optional: 
Raisins
Bananas

DELICIOUS AND FUN FOR A PARTY!  6 servings.

The BEST Chocolate Sheet Cake

2 c. flour
2 c. sugar
1/2 t. salt
1 stick butter
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 c. water
1/4 c. cocoa
2 eggs
1 t. baking soda
1/2 c. buttermilk
1 t. vanilla

Combine flour, sugar and salt.  Bring butter, oil, water and cocoa to a boil.  Add to flour mixture.  Beat eggs, baking soda, buttermilk and vanilla.  Add to dry ingredients.  Pour into greased and floured 9 x 13" pan and bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

Icing:  I stick, butter, 1 t. vanilla, 3 T. cocoa, 1 (16 oz.) box powdered sugar, 6 T. milk, 1 c. chopped pecans or walnuts.

Melt butter with cocoa.  Add milk and vanilla.  Stir in powdered sugar and nuts.  Spread on warm cake!  DELICIOUS!!

Tracy's Tomato Pie*

1 (9") deep dish pie shell, baked & cooled
6 medium tomatoes, peeled and sliced thin
3 springs of FRESH Basil, torn into small pieces (leaves only)
1 1/2 c. grated mild Cheddar cheese
1 1/2 c. Mayonnaise (not diet or low-fat)

Place layer of tomatoes in pie shell, overlapping.  Sprinkle half of Basil over tomatoes.  Place another layer of tomatoes, overlapping and place rest of Basil on top.  Place third layer of tomatoes.  Mix Cheddar cheese and mayonnaise well and spread over tomatoes, sealing edge.  Bake at 350 for approximately 40 minutes, until light golden brown.  Let stand for 15 minutes.  Slice as pie.  Serve 8.

*(This is considered a "side item" with meal -- not as a dessert.).  DELICIOUS!

Vivian's Clam Bisque

1 (6 oz.) can sliced mushrooms
1/4 c. finely chopped onion
1/2 c. finely chopped celery
1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. flour
1 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper
1 t. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 t. grated lemon rind
1 quart whole milk
1 (8 oz.) can minced clams
3 T. parsley

Saute' lightly first three ingredients in the butter.  Remove from heat.  Add flour, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and lemon rind.  Stir well to blend.

Add 3 cups of the milk; cook until thickened.  Add remaining milk and clams and heat.  Serve in demitasse cups with parsley sprinkled on top.  DELICIOUS and always a rave at parties!