Sunday Dinner, December 13, 2009

Another Sunday has rolled around, and wonder of wonders, I'm actually cooking this week! I'm feeling better physically although still not back to 100% yet, and better emotionally as well.

But more on that in a bit, back to Sunday Dinner.

As you may have gathered from the bowl of soup in my Sunday Dinner graphic, I've chosen to make a big pot of homemade vegetable beef soup for Sunday Dinner this week. I'll probably make a big cast iron skillet of buttermilk cornbread to go with it and there's crackers for those who prefer them to cornbread with their soup.

I bought a huge beef roast last month and cut it into smaller roasts and beef stew meat, so that's what I'm pulling from my freezer to use in the soup. I bought individual cans of corn and green beans to add to it, as well as tomatoes.

I used the last of my frozen garden tomatoes last week when I made okra and tomatoes, boo hoo!

I also have frozen green peas and okra from my freezer stash that I'll add to the soup, as well as chopped onion, diced potatoes and sliced carrots.

What's for Sunday Dinner at your place this week? Just share in the comments if you'd like to participate.As I mentioned earlier in this post, I'm feeling better physically. My bronchitis seems to have cleared up but I'm left with sneezing and a stuffy or runny nose, or both at once. Probably just allergies but I'll be ever so happy to see them go away for good.

Emotionally I'm better but it's been a rough couple of weeks. I talked last week about JESSICA'S marriage problems and it all came to a head with Jessica and Jason separating and Jason getting his own apartment.

Jessica is staying in their old place and filed for divorce this past Friday, Dec. 11, which is, ironically, just 2 days after their 3rd wedding anniversary which was Dec. 9th. They seem to be getting along better now that they've separated and are being nicer to one another, which is a good thing for them and especially for Emmy.

Jessica posted about it HERE in more detail for any of you that care to follow along with her
situation.

My physical illness combined with the emotional upheaval that's been going on in my life has just about gotten the best of me, but I'm feeling better on all fronts now. There are other things going on that I just can't share on my blog or Facebook, but with your prayers and God's help we'll get through them.

I am so blessed with friends and family who love me and are such an encouragement to me! Thank you so much to all who have prayed and offered support by commenting on my blog and on Facebook, and by email. I've felt your love and concern like a warm blanket covering me and I could never express in words how much it's meant to me.

Y'all truly are the best family and friends I could ever ask for, and you each have a special place in my heart. Thank you again, dear ones.On a different note, I'm happy and pleased to report that I have all my Christmas shopping done and wrapped, and all my Christmas cards are done. I have to mail some cards on Monday and then I'll be done with that except for returning cards to those who send me one but I didn't send them one yet.

I know that last sentence was awkward but I don't feel like rethinking it so phooey on it.

I plan to make some butter shortbread sometime before Christmas as well as some cast iron skillet candy, a new recipe I just discovered. It's equal parts butter and brown sugar cooked in a cast iron skillet for 15 minutes, then you add a teaspoon of vanilla or other flavoring and pour it out onto a buttered platter or foil to cool, then cut into pieces. It looks yummy.

I'm also going to make something for Jessica that I've dreamed up in my head. She loves chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream and basically anything cookie dough, so I'm going to make her some cookie dough bon bons. I'll make up the cookie dough and bake it just until it sets, then roll it into balls and dip it in chocolate and white chocolate bark.

Not my cup of tea but I'll bet she'll love it. Of course I'll have to ration them to her so she won't eat them all at once. ;o)My stew meat is cooking and almost done, so I should get in there and peel my potatoes and slice my carrots and add the rest of my veggies to my soup. I'll reheat it when we get home from church tomorrow afternoon.

I also need to study my Sunday School lesson and do a few more things before bedtime, so I'll close by wishing you all a very merry Christmas season.

May God meet all your needs and may you have enough to share, dear friends and family.