HAPPY NEW YEAR - STARTING FOURTH YEAR OF BLOGGING

As the title says "Happy New Year" to all of you!!  We had a great Christmas  - Mom was here again - and brought a beautiful cake that she had made for Christmas dinner.  We have been so blessed to have her in our lives this long and we all pray she will continue to thrive - although she started feeling bad on Wednesday and hasn't felt good the rest of the week.  So praying friends, please say a prayer for her!  I know 2011 was a sad year for many - and I feel so blessed to have had a good year!  I have only made a couple of resolutions - and hope I can make them "Commitments" as Tim's lesson today taught!  One is I am going to start - one way or another - to get exercise and be more healthy by exercising and what I eat!  Not just sure what I will do - I hate arobics - not coordinated enough - love basketball and volleyball - but too old for running up and down a court -- I read about these resistant bands that really work -- any suggestions??? Oh - I also don't like to walk in cold weather!!!

Today I made two new recipes and got raves on both.  One was BABY BACK RIBS - I learned this from my neighbor, Delia.  I can give you the method but the marinade I made may never be duplicated because I put so much into it - I truly can't remember it all!  But I started with three racks of baby back ribs.  Washed and cut them into thirds - so they would fit in a large bowl.  I salted,  and peppered each one -- lots of pepper - Penzey's, of course!  I then liberally covered each with garlic powder.   Then I poured Allegro Marinade on each one.  Then I put some 25 year old balsamic vinegar (the last of a bottle I bought in California year before last!) on them, then poured in some Apricot Brandy.  I also put a small package of Goya seasoning.  They stayed covered and in the refrigerator overnight.  This morning I took them out of the bowl and placed in a large roaster pan.  Poured 2 large bottles of KC Original barbecue sauce over them.  At 6:30 a.m. I placed them into a 350 degree oven and cooked for two hours.  Then I lowered the heat to 250 for about 30 minutes and then lowered it to 200 for another hour while I was at church! 

The other was LUCY'S CABBAGE

1 head of cabbage
6 red potatoes (large ones)
1 yellow onion
2 cloves garlic
4 slices bacon
salt and pepper to taste

Fry the bacon in a deep pan, then add chopped onion and minced garlic.  Peel potatoes and cut into large cubes. While the potatoes cook, cut the cabbage up.  (I just sliced off large pieces and then cut it a couple of times).  Once potatoes are slightly tender, add cabbage, and a small amount of liquid, either water, white wine, or chicken broth.  Cover and cook until cabbags starts to change color and is tender.  NOTE:  I salted and peppered the potatoes and then added a little more to the cabbage.    It was very good --according to my sister - the best she had ever eaten!

I cooked our Black eyed Peas yesterday.  I have found that for any beans (pintos, limas) and peas - the crockpot cooks them without them coming apart.  I did two pounds and my large crock pot was brimming full!! 

BLACK EYED PEAS

(FOR LARGE CROWD)

2 lb. bag dried black eyed peas
1 onion
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 slices bacon
1 fresh tomato
1/2 of one jalapeno, chopped small
salt and pepper to taste

Wash peas and place in large saucepan and cover with water.  Bring to a boil and boil for about 5 minutes.  Then let sit for another thirty minutes.   Place in the crockpot and cover well with water.  Slightly cook bacon and remove from pan.  Save a couple tablespoons of the grease and saute the chopped onion,minced garlic,and chopped jalapeno.  Add to the peas.  Do not salt until the peas are tender.  Turn crockpot on high and cook for a couple of hours.  WATCH WATER AND DON'T LET COOK AWAY!  Then turn the pot to medium and continue to cook until peas are tender.  Add salt and pepper (lots of peppe)r and salt to taste.  Then chop tomato and add to peas! 
They were really very good and my Mom said they were the best she had ever eaten!  Yea - believe me that is something!!!
I hope that some of you - one of you will try one or all of these -- they really are good "comfort" foods - and good for you!!!
I hope each of you will make your resolutions "Commitments" and prove you can do whatever you have in your heart you want to do!  I trust that each one will "commit" to helping those less fortunate than you - and you will work hard to lift someone up!  May God Bless each of you - and thank you for joining me for another year of thoughts, recipes, and a potpourri of other things!!!

Here is something my cousin sent me -- a great reminder of God's love!!!

Dependence on God---A Witness of His Power

                                               2 Corinthians 4:7

“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the Excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.”

 If you are like most people, you don’t realize your dependency on God until you’re burned out from stress---either self-induced or cause by circumstances beyond your control.

Why is that?

Paul says it’s because we are fragile. But he doesn’t stop there. He says that God made us this way so that His power may be known through us!

Maybe someone told you, “Oh, just tie a knot and hang on!” Sometimes God wants us to let go of the rope because it is keeping us tied down to our Destructive habits. We are totally dependent on God so that the love of His Son may be known to the world.

Get a piece of rope and tie a knot in it. Let it sit on your desk this week as a reminder that God is more that just a knot at the end of the rope. He is the Savior of the world!

      “May the Lamb that was slain receive the rewards of His suffering.”

GOOD NIGHT!