Winter White and Black Bean Chili

Here are the last pictures of our recent snow.  Now we're looking at lots of mud. :)

Of course, soup is perfect way to celebrate a snowy day, so I tried another recipe from my wonderful Gooseberry cookbook.  (Michele, I can't thank you enough for this!!)  

This recipe is super-easy, super-fast, and some tell me, super-good! ('cause you know I wasn't eating it. :))

Black Bean Chili

1 t. oil

2 onions, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced (I used the minced garlic)

4.5 ounce can diced green chiles, drained

2 t. chili powder

1 t. ground cumin

1 t. dried oregano

14-1/2 oz. can diced tomatoes

1 c. water

2 (15 oz.) cans black beans, drained

Heat oil in a skillet; add onion and garlic and saute until tender.  Stir in chiles and remaining ingredients except beans; bring to a boil over medium heat.  Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes.  Stir in beans; heat thoroughly.  Makes 7 cups.

Love,

Mirthful Monday~Ever Feel Like This?

Ever feel like this? As if life has knocked you 
flat on your face and you can't do a thing 
about it? If so, do yourself a favor and... 

go talk to someone else about your troubles.
I haven't an ounce of sympathy for you.

~ Scribe

(No babies were harmed in the taking of this photo. 
Furthermore, Queen Mom claims no responsibility for this post.)  

Drifting

People do not drift toward holiness. Apart from grace-driven effort, people do not gravitate toward godliness, prayer, obedience to Scripture, faith, and delight in the Lord. We drift toward compromise and call it tolerance; we drift toward disobedience and call it freedom; we drift toward superstition and call it faith. We cherish the indiscipline of lost self-control and call it relaxation; we slouch toward prayerlessness and delude ourselves into thinking we have escaped legalism; we slide toward godlessness and convince ourselves we have been liberated. 

—D.A. Carson


(HT: Challies)

We Could Have Danced All Night

Now, believe me, I never thought I would say such a thing.  I don't like to dance.  Plain and simple.

So, it was with much love for my best friend, Nicole, that I stepped out of my comfort zone last weekend and celebrated her 30th birthday...by dancing.

And, I'm so glad I did.  We had the most wonderful time!  Mountain Man was a fantastic partner, and I'm convinced that every one of our children should learn these dance steps.

My favorite?  The Virginia Reel.

Whistler came along to babysit Cap'n and ended up filling in as a much needed dance partner so the instructor could instruct. :)  What a sweet thing it was to see her dance with her Daddy!

This Morning

This morning we're praising God for the beautiful blanket of snow!  Here are a few shots of our world...

We're also praising God for traveling mercies.  It was a treacherous drive home last night for Mountain Man, a continuous slide all the way from Santa Fe, he said.

Scribe treated everyone last night to his famous snow cream in shades of blue.  Who knows what color it will be today!

There won't be much on the agenda other than feasting on His Word and delighting in this wonderful gift of snow.  It's so deep in our backyard that Claire would be missing in action after the first step outside. :)

Enjoy your day and thank the Lord for His goodness, whatever the weather may be!

Much love,

First Snow

Gooseberry Love

Lots of love arrived in a couple boxes last week.  My dear Mama sent us a small pack of Mentos :), and my cousin blessed me with another Gooseberry Patch cookbook.  Anyone who knows me at all knows I LOVE Gooseberry Patch stuff and have quite a few of their books.  They're the kind of cookbooks that I just enjoy reading even when I'm not cooking from them.  Yes, I'm strange like that.

Having already tried a couple recipes from this new book, I can tell that it's going to be one I cook from a lot.  This banana coffee cake quickly became Scribe's favorite breakfast cake.

And even if you don't like the recipe, you have to admit that's quite a good picture!

Go Bananas Coffee Cake

8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

1/2 c. butter, softened

1-1/4 c. sugar

2 eggs

3 bananas, mashed

1 t. vanilla extract

2-1/4 c. all purpose flour

1-1/2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

Pecan Topping

In a large bowl blend together cream cheese, sugar, and butter until fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition.  Mix in bananas and vanilla; set aside.  Combine flour, baking powder and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture, mixing well.  Stir in half the Pecan Topping; pour into a greased 13x9 pan.  Sprinkle with remaining Pecan Topping; bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 min.  Serves 12.

Pecan Topping

1 c. chopped pecans

2 T. sugar

1 t. cinnamon

Toss together all ingredients until pecans are well coated.

Enjoy!

With love,

He's On the Move, I Tell Ya!

Listen, Cap'n, no one will be upset if you put off that crawling thing just a little longer.

First Encounter with a Rebel

Sweet Boo's attempts to take a picture with our fancy camera...

What a lovely DOOR!  :)