holly, Author at Holly in the Home

January 22, 2013 by holly

Lessons from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr

Martin Luther King, Jr. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Today, as we celebrate Martin Luther King Day, I thought it appropriate to look at some of the lessons from Dr. King.

There is no question he was a gifted speaker and a powerful leader. Some of today’s leaders can learn a thing or two about speaking up.

From Dr. King, we learn that strong leaders:

1. Speak the truth, without varnish. An awful lot of people did not want to hear what Dr King had to say. He said them anyway. Leaders face reality, don’t sugar-coat it and don’t make excuses. One of my favorite quotes from MLK is this: “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”

[Read more…]

January 22, 2013 by holly

Pastitsio

2 pounds hamburger
1 large onion
4 cloves garlic
2 C tomato sauce
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
12 eggs, beaten
1/2 C butter
1/2 C flour
1 tsp pepper
5 C milk
2 C grated Parmesan cheese
1 32 oz bag macaroni noodles, cooked and drained

In a large skillet cook meat, onion and garlic till meat is brown and onion is tender. Drain fat. Stir in tomato sauce, oregano, salt and cinnamon. Bring to boiling, reduce heat. Simmer for 10 minutes. Gradually stir meat mixture into 3 eggs; set aside. Stir slowly to avoid cooking the egg.

For sauce, in medium saucepan melt butter. Stir in flour and pepper. Add 4 1/2 C of milk all at once. Cook and stir till thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 1 minute more. Gradually stir sauce into six of the beaten eggs. Stir in half of the Parmesan cheese. Toss macaroni with remaining eggs, milk and Parmesan cheese.

To assemble, in two 10X15 baking dishes, layer half of the macaroni mixture, all of the meat mixture, remaining macaroni mixture and all of the sauce. Sprinkle with additional cinnamon.

Bake in 350 oven for 30-35 minutes or till set. Let stand 5 minutes. Serves 24+

January 20, 2013 by holly

Do It Anyway

One of my very favorite quotes:

January 13, 2013 by holly

Crock-pot Monterrey’s

This dish is another family favorite. Years ago, when hubby was a teenager, he worked in a Mexican restaurant that served a dish similar to this. We’ve adapted it and now it has become our Christmas Eve tradition. (It’s just as good other times too!) [Read more…]

January 13, 2013 by holly

Raspberry-jalapeno jam

Like some heat with your sweet? You’ll love this, then. We sure do.

You can eat this jam with chips, crackers, on meat, over cream cheese or – like my oldest – just plain on a piece of bread. [Read more…]

January 13, 2013 by holly

Easy Rhubarb Cake

Another easy recipe (notice a theme? We like easy in our house….)

Chopped rhubarb

1 white or yellow cake mix
3 eggs
1/3 C oil
1 1/2 C water
3 C chopped rhubarb
1/2 C sugar
2 C heavy cream [Read more…]

January 13, 2013 by holly

Rosy Peach-Banana Jam

I love this stuff. It’s beautiful and tastes divine.

1 c. mashed fully ripe bananas (about 3 med. sized)
3 1/4 c. mashed fully ripe peaches (about 2 lbs. peaches, peeled)
1/2 c. drained chopped maraschino cherries
2 tbsp. lemon juice
6 c. sugar
1 box powdered fruit pectin (1/3 C if using bulk pectin). [Read more…]

January 13, 2013 by holly

Pineapple Chili

Pineapple in your chili?! Actually, it’s pretty darn good.

As you might imagine, this chili is on the sweet side.

It’s also super easy to make and one of our go-to meals in the colder months.

This is the normal-sized version. I triple it (or so) when I make it.

1 pound ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
2 cans kidney beans
2 cans pork and beans, undrained
2 cans (20 oz. size) can pineapple chunks, undrained
2 qts pureed tomatoes
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 C chili powder – adjust to taste
4 C cooked rice (or so)

Directions:

In a large pan, brown beef and onion; drain fat. Stir in remaining ingredients. Bring to a simmer, stirring often so the rice doesn’t stick on the bottom of the pan.

January 13, 2013 by holly

Apple Pumpkin Soup

Pumpkin Soup

Yummy!!

1 large onion, chopped
1/2 pound of bacon, chopped
2 C cooked pumpkin
1 cup water
2 cups apple cider
4 cubes chicken bouillon
1 apple, chopped and unpeeled
dash of liquid smoke
1 tsp salt (might want more) [Read more…]

January 13, 2013 by holly

Random things about me, part deux

More randomness. 🙂

*If money were no object, I’d buy an embroidery machine to play with. $6000+

*I was on a school gymnastics team in France.

*I was a cheerleader in 7th grade in the US – the only one from my elementary school to make the team.

*I also got mono that year . . . (no, not from kissing)

*I spoke French like a native, back in the day (when I lived there). Completely fluent, no accent. Now I cringe when I hear myself. Dang.

*I can wiggle my ears.

*I lived in Virginia when they desegregated the schools and my best friend was bussed across town.

*I was in a BYU ward with Kenneth Cope.

*I love, love, love baby shoes.

*I also love shoes for me. I’ve significantly expanded my collection in the last couple of years.

*People with disabilities – especially children – used to terrify me. I knew God would never send me a child with disabilities, ’cause I knew I couldn’t handle it.

*I’ve been to a leprosy hospital.

*I’ve driven past the fistula hospital in Ethiopia.

*I got giardia in Ethiopia. Now THAT was fun. Not.

*I’ve been followed by the mafia in Russia (and probably other places as well).

*I have no idea how much a normal-sized family eats for a normal meal. 🙂

*I can’t knit, crochet, tat, or weave. I can, however, cross-stitch and sew.

*I hate jig-saw puzzles. They both frustrate and bore me.

*I have NO eye-hand coordination. It’s an ADD thing. Seriously.

*One of my favorite movies is Amazing Grace. I love the anti-slavery message, but also the other message – the political game has been the same for hundreds of years.

*I don’t like it when people think I’m a saint and/or crazy. I’m neither, actually.

*I’ve carried almost $10,000 in cash on my person. Gotta love the early days of international adoption . . . (OK, early days in Eastern Europe at least.)

*I’ve climbed all 600+ steps to the top of the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

*I’ve spent time exploring Paris with my son, but not my hubby.

*I’ve seen real third-world suffering up close and personal and have twinges of guilt for living in a home that could house at least 100 orphans in Africa . . . .

*I have more pictures than I have wall space in my home. And I have a lot of wall space.

*I had 20 kids at home at my peak.

*And 5 in diapers at my peak.

*We took a family vacation that lasted 7 weeks and covered 7000 miles. For 5 of those weeks, I was the only adult taking 21 kids on a grand adventure. We all survived.

*I washed a mouse in the washing machine . . .

*I’m allergic to all animals that don’t live in water, yet we have 2 rabbits, 3 cats and about 40 chickens because they’re good for the kids . . .

*I haven’t had any cola products at all for over 30 years.

*I get 5 hours of sleep on a good night. Lately, it’s been enough (almost).

*I have thousands of dollars of scrapbook supplies sitting unused . . . Someday . . .

*I have enough fabric to run a small store.

*I have tablecloths, kitchen curtains and decor to change our look 9 times a year.

*Our table is 8 feet wide and 12 feet long. (It’s actually 4 normal tables pushed together.)

*My favorite color is pink, preferably hot pink, and has been my entire life.

*My earliest memory was when I was around 16 months old.

*I really don’t like pie.

*I don’t like to cry and don’t do it often.

*I used to be a blonde in college. 🙂

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