Easy Bacon Quiche

I made this quiche for Christmas weekend guests, as it is quick, easy, and delicious! My good friend, Kayla, who is a wonderful cook, shared this recipe with me.  

Easy Bacon Quiche

1 deep dish pie crust (I use Pillsbury)

8-10 slices real bacon, cooked and crumbled

2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

5 eggs, beaten

1 pint whipping cream (16 oz)

salt and pepper to taste

In empty pie crust, sprinkle bacon over entire crust.  Then sprinkle Mont Jack cheese over bacon.  In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs and whipping cream.  Pour mixture over the cheese.  (You may have more liquid than will fit...just discard extra).  Bake 1 hour or until browns at 350 degrees.   Note** Place the quiche on a cookie sheet before baking to prevent spills.

Enjoy!  

Printable Recipe

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Kelly's Korner Show Us Your Life-Breakfast

Decorating with Music and Books!

So this morning I am back to the land of the living.   My hubby is home all week long, and I have a teensy-weensy, little bitty honey-do list.  Hanging pictures is at the top. 

Funny thing, as I was imagining where to hang one certain piece (framed music), I was catching up on blog reading and stumbled upon this great post from Tip Junkie on decorating with sheet music!  Who knew you could do so much with old sheet music and  books?  So charming. 

While the following piece is not "handmade," it is a different use of sheet music I wanted to show you.  A few years ago when we were moving my grandmother to an assisted living facility, I found an old hymnal from a church in her hometown of Woodville, Mississippi.  My grandmother, great aunts, and my great-grandmother played the piano at their respective churches, so we discovered enough hymnals to supply a small congregation.  At my wedding, I walked down the aisle to "Holy, Holy, Holy," one of my favorite hymns, so I looked through the hymnals until I found a two-page spread of this piece.  I took it to my framer friend, Phil, at Happenstance, (which is located inside Crystal Hill Antique Mall if you live in the Little Rock area), and he came up with this lovely piece for us!

It is suspended in this shadowbox frame, which gives it interest and depth.

Maybe you have a favorite song...or book...that you could create something similar with!   Framing a single page of old sheet music in a regular-backed frame would be adorable, as well.  The options are endless.  Start digging and put a fun memory on your wall!

Be sure to check out Tip Junkie's link above for inspiring ideas using sheet music.  She even provides links for free sheet music for your projects!  

Merry Merry

Back to the land of the living...

Early Christmas Eve morning, I posted on my Facebook status that Christmas Eve and the stomach virus were not friends, and that the stomach virus needed to leave.  My poor Maddie was sick most of Christmas Eve Day as David and I bustled around the house changing sheets, swishing toilets, and preparing food.  My mom, daddy, and aunt arrived that afternoon, and Maddie rejoined the world.  Relief.  Around 8:30 pm, I knew I was down for the count.  You know the feeling.  I literally got in the bed around 9pm to will it all away...and I didn't get back OUT of the bed virtually until Monday morning.  Monday morning.  I was that sick.  And yes, I missed Santa Claus.  I missed my kids opening their gifts.  I missed Christmas lunch (which has never smelled so awful as it wafted through the vents.  My mom's longed-for dressing was about to put me over the edge at this point).  I missed nearly the entire 48 hour visit from my family!  They sequestered me into an upstairs bedroom, and my sweet hubby swept in every hour or two to check on me.  At one point, he did ask if this was all a part of a grand conspiracy!

But...my family was amazing...David and my mom thoughtfully executed all Christmas Eve duties, all Christmas lunch duties, and my kids adapted so well without their mama there on such an important day. 

I did capture a few pictures before I took to my pillows...

 Mimi and John David

 Mimi, Bo, and Lainey...the kids cut out gingerbread men cookies for Santa.

 Have you seen these hilarious hats?  One of Walgreen's funny Christmas hats with Santa stuck in the chimney.  The boots wiggle back and forth while he sings.  Cheap entertainment!

 John David and his new microscope!  

 My sister and I made a photo calendar from Shutterfly for my mom with all the grandkids' pictures.  One of her favorite gifts every year.  

 David even managed to have Lainey in Christmas attire:)  

 Maddie in her new chair!  

 This is what Bo and John David did much of the weekend.  Wii and Itouch games.  Addictive any age!

Mimi and Bo and the kids before they left to go home

Maybe next Christmas we'll actually have evidence that David and I were present.  

Merry Merry.

Shoepeg Corn Casserole

Do you need one more side to accompany your Christmas Eve or Christmas Day dinner?  This is one of our family favorites, and like the green beans posted this week, this corn dish is simple and delish, using only a handful of ingredients.  

This recipe came from our dear family friend, Mary Margaret Hickman, in Jackson, Mississippi.  I love using recipes from people from past and present...pulling out a recipe card and immediately, a memory of a special person!

Shoepeg Corn Casserole

1 can white shoepeg corn

1 small carton whipping cream (4 oz)

2 T. butter

2 T. flour

Salt and Pepper to taste

In small pan over low to medium heat, melt butter and blend in flour.  Drain corn.  Pour corn and cream into an 8x8 baking dish, then add flour and butter mixture.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour, longer if recipe is doubled.

**I almost always double or triple this recipe, as the original recipe serves 4.  If you triple the corn, you may find you only need to double the butter/flour mixture, as it tends to be alot of butter when it cooks tripled.  

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Delicious Green Beans

There are 2 million ways to cook green beans, and I prepare them different ways because we get tired of the same ole same ole.  These delicious green beans are super easy and oh so yummy!  These were on my menu Monday night for guests and will be for Christmas Day.  If you need an easy, no-hassle side for Christmas, give these a try!

Easy, Delicious Green Beans

3 cans Del Monte green beans

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup butter, melted

Oscar Meyer Real Bacon Bits

Drain green beans.  Place in glass baking dish.  Mix the brown sugar and melted butter and pour over the green beans.  Sprinkle bacon bits over the top of the beans.  Cover.  Bake 350 degrees for about 30 minutes!  Enjoy!

(This recipe came from my late grandmother's sweet neighbor, Miss Betty, who is like family to us, in Woodville, Mississippi.)

Printable Recipe

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A Social Network Christmas

This video is all over Facebook, but for those of you who have not seen it, it's pretty cool and worth the few short minutes.  Such a cool way to tell the story of Christmas!

Hope you are enjoying these few days leading up to Christmas.  

A Real Mess

I heard a sermon recently that really struck me, probably because, like always, we are touched by stories that we can relate to...that we can say, "That is me!"  Mark articulated the cry of my heart very well, and the following post is partly direct notes, partly my perspective.  Perhaps the words describe you as well.

Mark used the word picture of the baby Jesus being wrapped in cloths by his mother Mary, and segued into Jesus being "wrapped" in prophecy, humility, mystery, etc.  

 Jesus was wrapped in humility.  The anticipated, longed for savior to the people was born in obscurity in a dirty stable with no fanfare, no headlines, no applause.  And it was no accident.  In humility, Jesus is willing to go into the messiest of places...a dirty, smelly stable fit only for animals.  A messed up, broken, human heart...a messy place for sure.  He wants us to know that there is no place he will not go to bring the hope of eternal life to his children!

You may think, "I am too messed up.  He can't love somebody like me! Do you know what I've done?"  A messy life does Not.Scare.Jesus.  He started in a mess (the stable) and ended in a mess (the cross, beaten and bleeding).  He spent a large portion of his days on earth with messed up people (the disciples...read about them... they were just like us).  But he loved them and taught them a better way.  It's the signature of Jesus.  Enter into a messy place and offer life.  

I am routinely humbled that Jesus is willing to go into the messy place called my heart. It is messy.  Routinely really messy.  But Jesus offers new, clean, changed, forgiven to the messiest of hearts.  A gift that this world and our best efforts cannot and will never be  able to offer.     

I pray you will let Him into the "messy places" trusting that He can offer real life and real change.  

Love and Merry Christmas to you!

Mother/Daughter Cookie Swap!

For a couple of years now, my friend Shelley, and I have hosted a Mother/Daughter Cookie Swap with our girls.  This year's swap was yesterday at Shelley's beautifully decorated home, and it was such a blast!

 Maddie, me, Shelley, and Caroline

The little hostesses!

As usual when I'm somewhere where there are beautiful things to behold, I take pictures...and Shelley's tree is breathtaking!  You can see the closeup of one of her many nutcrackers IN the tree!

Just about any type of ornament or Christmas decoration you can imagine is stuck in this amazing tree!  An elf climbing a ladder, a (gigantic) drummer boy, candy, Christmas balls, nutcrakers, and more!  Love it!  It reminds me of a tree you see in Christmas children's books!

We had a great turnout with 23 girls and their moms, so you can imagine the cookie loot we all took home!  A few of Maddie's buddies and their mamas...

Sheri and Grace 

Madison and Jaime 

Emma and Debbie

The girls made a simple ornament to take home...Grace is hard at work on hers!

 The girls each brought 2 dozen cookies on a pretty tray, and we provided them with a take home Christmas tray for their goodies.  Each girl took home one of each type of cookie, giving them a wonderful assortment of cookies to share with their families this week!

 The pictures of our entire table covered with goodies did not turn out due to light, so I will show you a glimpse of what will be in our bellies this week! 

 It was neat to see all the different types of treats our friends brought...and the effort they went to!  

 Aren't these cookie pops adorable?

A cookie swap is an easy, affordable way to host a party during the Holidays...or anytime!  Valentine's would be a great reason to host one!  Most importantly, it was time with our girls and fun memories made!

Neighborhood Small Group Christmas

Instead of traditional Sunday School, our church has small groups that meet in people's homes during the school year, and we recently joined a neighborhood-based group.  Yesterday, one of our wonderfully creative moms hosted a "Christmas Pajama Breakfast" for all the kids!  Wow...Angie had games and activities and treats and loads of fun for these guys!

Here they are...minus a few that could not be there.

 Pin the Foot on the Grinch!

 Even Lainey took a stab at it!

 Get her dizzy before she takes her turn!

 Sweet big sisters

 Angie read the story of Jesus' birth to the kids, while each child had a character from the story stuck to their backs.  At the end of the story, each child asked questions to try and figure out their character.   These boys were payin' attention to that story!

 Yet another game...each child brought an unwrapped Christmas mug.  They divided into teams, and they raced to see which team could wrap a boxed mug first.  Maddie agrees that her wrapping job was...thumbs down!  But wrapped, right?  

Then they played "musical chairs" with wrapped boxes underneath the chairs.  Every child ended up seated at a chair with a wrapped gift underneath (no one was eliminated:)), and they were allowed to open their mug which also contained "Cake in a Cup" mix and instructions!

 The next game was a mystery taste test!  Guess the beverage (camouflaged with green food coloring) and write down your guess.  We had a few that weren't so brave to try Dylan's concoctions, and relied on their noses instead!  

Who can resist a little baby in Christmas pj's?

Angie's home is eclectic, whimsical, and fun all year round!  The lighting wasn't great for many photos of her beautiful decorations, but I did love this berried garland strung in her family room filled with her children's Christmas artwork!  Priceless!

The Capitol and Christingle

Last week, Maddie's 4th grade class had the opportunity to sing at the State Capitol with several other school groups from around the area.  They performed several precious Christmas songs, and most poignantly, they recited Luke 2, the story of the birth of Jesus.  With the growing number of restrictions of expression of Christianity in public arenas, you could not help but be touched hearing God's Word from children's voices ring out inside the Capitol Dome.  It was quite beautiful.

Each group performed right below the Dome and it was a spectacular setting!

These enormous "Joy" banners hung at four points of the room.  I could not resist a picture!

I had to chuckle a little as I was staring at Bill the whole time I watched Maddie.  Don't forget his roots are in Arkansas:)

Christingle

Have you ever heard of Christingle?  I had not before my children started at their current school, and it is a meaningful service you should consider if need a simple group activity near Christmastime.  

The word "Christingle" actually means "Christ's light" and has its origins hundreds of years ago in Germany when a Moravian pastor was searching for a tangible way to teach children about Jesus' love and the true meaning of Christmas.

Our school began its own Christingle Service 26 years ago as a means to help support a school family who was leaving to be missionaries.  A tradition started and still every year, the children bring pennies to contribute during the service, and the money is given to a missionary family.

The orange represents the world.  The four skewers represent the four corners of the world...North, East, South, and West. (to include all peoples of the earth). The candies on the skewers represent God's good gifts, the fruits of the spirit and the fruits of the earth. The red ribbon represents Christ's death on the cross for our sins.  And the white candle represents Jesus, the "Light of the World."  

Only the 1st and 4th graders participate in the Christingle Service, as each grade has a specific service project at Christmastime.  Siblings were partnered together.

One candle is lit, representing Jesus as the Light of the World.  This one candle lights another, and soon, close to 175 candles were lit from the One Light (Jesus), representing to the children that Christ is truly the only light source in a darkened world.  What a great visual picture!  The room was perfectly quiet and beautiful with the all the lit candles.

Lainey was in the circle next to her best neighbor buddies, Ellie and Caroline:)

Lainey and I headed home and I snapped a few shots of her in a cute dress!  (She is a playclothes kind of girl most every other day of the year!)

I hope your days before Christmas this week are blessed.