It's a good thing we don't bother with New Year's resolutions at our house, because ours would probably be to eat healthier this year. Yeah, right. Like that one is going to last. It's the middle of January and I'm craving (and cooking) those terribly unhealthy, country-cookin', Southern, potluck, bereavement dishes. If you're from my part of the country, you know what I'm talking about. I've always said, nothing says, "So sorry for your loss" like something made with Campbell's Cream of Whatever and/or Velveeta cheese. Of course, if you need to take a dessert, the same rule applies to Cool Whip. The only exception to the rule is, and I suppose they still do this back home, there's always one neighbor who doesn't have time to cook and they show up with a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken. I'm tellin' ya, it's no disrespect for the dearly departed, but that greasy chicken (MUST be Original Recipe) just helps you slide right through the grief. Ok, enough about funeral food; I do hope you know some of that was sort of tongue-in-cheek and if my family is reading this, I really did grieve over each and everyone who died through the years, but the KFC and the Velveeta concoctions were good, and I don't care who knows it. As an afterthought, I would like to ask the KFC corporation whose silly idea was it to change the name to initials? Trust me; we all know that "F" stands for fried. It's too late to lie to ourselves now.
OK, enough of my goofiness. All of that was to explain that I veered from the Straight and Narrow way of healthy eating and made my Vegetable Casserole. I keep telling myself that having vegetables in it makes it healthy, but really, if you goo it up with Velveeta, I don't think it counts. Oh well, you only live once (unless you believe in reincarnation), so I figure I might as well enjoy it every now and then. And if reincarnation were to turn out to be the case, then I'll try harder next time.
2 cans mixed vegetables, drained
4-8 oz Velveeta, chopped
1/2 stick butter
1 stack Ritz crackers, crushed
Pour the drained vegetables into the casserole dish. Stir in the Velveeta. Cover with crackers and top crackers with pieces of butter. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
MUSIC TO COOK BY
Until next time, Happy Cooking! : )
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BOOK REVIEW
Then Sings My Soul: The Story of Our Songs: Drawing Strength from the Great Hymns of Our Faith, Book 3 by Robert J. Morgan
This book is the last installment in Morgan's Then Sings My Soul trilogy. Along with individual histories of more than fifty of the great hymns of the Church, the author offers a comprehensive history of hymnody, from Biblical times to today's contemporary hymns.
Although I was aware of this series, I have not read the previous titles, so it would impossible for me to make comparisons. This edition appealed to me probably more than the earlier ones would, because I so enjoyed the first section of the book where he explains the history of hymns. Part I of the book is divided into chapters on Biblical Hymns, Ancient Hymns, Medieval Hymns, German Hymns, English Hymns, and a chapter on modern hymns titled "From Gospel Songs to Contemporary Praise". The history was very interesting, and a subject not expounded on in most modern churches. Parts II and III were histories of individual hymns with words and music included. Part IV was regarding the use of hymns in private devotions, as well as continued use of hymns interwoven with contemporary music in today's church services. The author offers a balanced, Scriptural basis for their continued use and yet certainly has an open mind regarding more modern music.
Whether the reader is a lifelong churchgoer with a strong knowledge and love for hymns, or a new convert who is unfamiliar with most of the old hymns, this book is educational and an enjoyable read. For my own opinion, I must admit that it is only in the past few years that I have become nostalgic for the hymns of my childhood. When I sit down with a hymnal and really read the words, I realize that even if the language is old-fashioned and the musical style may be considered outdated, there is a depth of meaning in some of those hymns that we may have lost over the years.
DISCLOSURE: Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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“Everything in moderation, including moderation.” ~~Oscar Wilde
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