Easy beef Stroganoff with hamburger

Beef Stroganoff with hamburger.

1 pound hamburger.
1 chopped onion
2-3 cloves garlic
1 can cream of mushroom soup
8 oz sour cream
Salt just a little
Pepper to taste
Egg noodles (not homemade type but bagged egg noodles).
Olive oil

Start water in a pot for your noodles. Cook them as instructed on package.

Start sauteeing onions until sweating. Add garlic. When onions are caramelized and ground beef. Cook until brown, then drain the grease and remove the meatloaf mixture to paper towel covered plate to drain.

Wipe remaining grease from pan with paper towel. Add can of soup and sour cream. Mix together well. Add meat/onions/garlic mixture. Heat over medium low until warmed through, not boiling.

Drain noodles when they are done. You can either plate the noodles, and ladle the stroganoff mixture over, or throw it all in the pot with the drained noodles. Your choice.

Salt and pepper to taste. I prefer freshly ground somewhat chunky pieces of pepper for this dish.

Wells Family Meatloaf by Donna Robb

It's a family meatloaf recipe that has been passed down through 3 generations. From my Grandma, to my late Dad, to me. We each changed it just a bit, but the basics are the same.

My late husband called it meatcake, because it was too good to be called meatloaf!

If you are in a hurry, or don't want to turn on the oven, it's also good for meatloaf burgers or meatballs with mashed potatoes.

This recipe is for one pound. I will put adjustments per pound as my late husband could really demolish this.

Preheat oven to 375℃.

*1 Lb 73% or 80% lean ground beef. DO NOT USE LEANER, it will be a dry brick!
*1 egg for every 1-2.5 pounds of hamburger.
*1 TBSP melted butter. Increase by 1/2 TBSP per pound.
*1 package cheap, dry onion soup mix. (Don't use the Lipton brand, as the onions look like toenail parings). If 2.5 pounds or over add 2 packages.
*1/2 sleeve Club Crackers smashed into flakes. (I put in a freezer zipper bag and pound on my cutting board with my meat tenderizer. Flat side first, then spiked. Add another 1/2 sleeve up to 2.5 lb. *Maximum 2 sleeves for a 5 lb loaf.
*Tony Chachere's Creole seasoning in the short, round, green, cardboard container to taste. About 4 good shakes per pound. It's not spicy hot.
*Garlic powder 5 good shakes up to 2.5 pounds.
*Seasoned meat tenderizer, if you like. Just about 1 shake per pound.
*1/3 of glaze (see recipe below).

Glaze recipe per pound. Remember 1/3 in the meatloaf. 1/3 on the meatloaf at the start of baking. 1/3 15 minutes out from the end of baking time after you drain off the grease. You may have to make more for the final glazing, I always do. If so just half the original recipe, or add another third to the original.

I don't measure so bear with me.

*A mound of brown sugar in a two cup mixing cup or bowl. The top of it should be about two inches and the rest tapers down like an ant hill.
*Prepared yellow mustard, squirted about 6-7 times around the inside of the cup/bowl.
*Heinz Ketchup, (or Hunt's but no cheap or gourmet types) about 12 times around the measuring cup.
*Two good shakes of Lea and Perrins Worcestershire Sauce. (Stick with the brand name on this, it makes a difference).
*6 dashes Tobasco, the original. (Brand name specific as other pepper sauces alter the flavor.)

Mix glaze together well. Taste it and adjust to your liking.

Add 1/3 of glaze in meat mixture. Mix the meatloaf ingredients well with your hands. So all is blended well throughout.

Spray cooking spray, or grease baking dish. Put meatloaf into baking dish, I usually use glass. And form into a loaf. (This is very important, or good luck getting cooked on glaze off your baking dish.)

Glaze with another 1/3 of glaze.

For one pound cook 45 minutes for each additional pound add 15 minutes to total time.

When 15 minutes from end of baking time. Take out, close oven door. Drain grease and use last of the glaze.

Cook remaining 15 minutes.

Let stand about 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Good served with scalloped potatoes as a side.

Enjoy!

Donna Robb's Chicken Noodle Soup

Donna Robb's Chicken Noodle Soup

Boil 4 chicken breasts until done in a stock pot.

Make noodles as soon as you start your chicken so they have time to dry. This is the recipe I used.

http://m.allrecipes.com/recipe/11991/egg-noodles/

Once you set them to dry, then continue.

Remove schmaltz from top.
Remove chicken, keep liquid, put in colander and run cold water over until you can safely handle. Dice, tear or shred into bite size pieces. Return to pot.

Dice medium yellow onion, add to pot.

Peel and dice 2 carrots add to pot.
If you like add one bay leaf but remove before adding noodles as you don't want to eat it.

Add two or more boxes of liquid chicken broth or stock. I like reduced sodium. It will still be plenty salty to help sore throats if you have them.

You want plenty of liquid as the noodles will soak most of it up.
I also pepper heavily with fresh ground pepper and add a bit of garlic powder, oregano and several dashes of Tabasco sauce. A little Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning is good too if you can find it, in a little green round container. Sorry I don't measure anything. I would say pepper to taste. Garlic powder I cover the top of the broth four times. Oregano probably twelve shakes. Tabasco 12-16 shakes (too taste). Tony Chachere's cover pot four times (it's not spicy hot). 1 or 2 bay leaves if you like.

Cook until carrots are nearly done.

At this point you want to start your noodles. If you don't want them soaking up all your liquid, cook them in a big pot of boiling salt water separately.

If you like mostly noodle, noodle soup, cook in your soup pot. Note, these noodles expand so roll them thin and cut them narrow, and it's still hard to find the chicken, carrots and onions.

When I rolled out the dough, it was hard to get it thin, so I grabbed it by the top when it was in a circle and let the weight of it stretch it out like a pizza dough. Pull on it to help. Then when it's thinner continue with your rolling pin. It's a very dry dough so it's tougher to roll out, but you want it to stay dry.  Since it's fresh pasta, it doesn't take too long to cook after you dry it for twenty minutes. I rolled it up and used a sharp knife to cut it. A pizza roller would do the trick too. I think it only took about 7-9 minutes for the noodles to be done.

After the noodles are cooked add to the soup and enjoy!

Advice to a teenage girl.

I remember that until I was 25, I was convinced my parents knew nothing.  Their sole purpose in life seemed to be to oppose everything I wanted to do.  At age 25, I finally started to see that my parents were on my side, and just maybe they might actually know something.  Since then, the older I get, the more intelligent they are. 

I always try to learn from the mistakes of others.  So I hope you will too.

It's all about trust.  You trust in God, so give him credit for giving you the parents he did.  He doesn't make mistakes.

Know your Dad was once a young man.  Those days are easy to remember as they are our heyday in life.  He knows what young men are thinking, he was one once.  Even though you don't like to think of it, he thought those thoughts once too.  Trust him, know he is doing what he does for a reason.  His reason is to protect you from making a mistake that can hurt you.  He loves you.  He would probably give his own life to save yourself. 

That's why Honor your Father and Mother is a commandment, because it is extremely difficult at times to do so.  Rely on Christ to help you. 

Whatever the world throws at you, it is all calculated to trying to remove you from your salvation and walk with Christ.  Don't let it.  Pray for strength and guidance.  Then realize the guidance might be found in Godly and loving council from your parents. 

Your friend,

Donna

I Peter 2 Honor all people.

In my reading today first, one of my favorite verses 1 Peter 2:9 KJV.

9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;

I love being called "a peculiar people".  Always have, don't know why unless it goes to show that we who love Christ don't always have to fit in a mold.  We don't have to wear or do certain things to be a Christ follower.  We can be ourselves, who He called us to be.  He does call us to be in the world, not of it.  We are called to be holy, set apart, sanctified.  But we can still have our own unique and beautiful personalities.

This next part, also reinforces that which God has been dealing with me about lately.  Respecting authority.  I haven't been sharing any anti-president/goverment posts lately, even though I have wanted to.  This is why.

1 Peter 2:13-17New King James Version (NKJV)

Submission to Government
13 Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, 14 or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men— 16 as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. 17 Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.

There have been anti-Christian statements made about folks who have forgotten verse 17.  Honor all people. - Folks, this is simple, the word is "all".  Not some, not those you agree with.  Not just your enemies enemy.  But all.  It doesn't matter if they commit sin.  Even as a Christian, you, I, and every other Christian out there still sin.  We ask for forgiveness from God.  If we have truly repented, and have no unforgiveness on our hearts, it is given. 

Each sin, except one, the unpardonable sin, carry an equal weight, death and the separation from God if we love that sin more than Him.  So why do we point fingers at folks who sin differently from us?  What right as sinners do we have to judge others?  None!

Now, if someone has accepted Christ and become part of a church family, and falls into sin; the Bible gives direction about how to deal with that to hopefully bring the person back to repentance and fellowship.  That's not what I am talking about.

I am talking about our actions towards others.  Are they loving?  Are they kind?  Can the person look at us and see Christ looking back at them?  If not, are we really a Christian?  Being a Christian literally means being Christ-like. 

Christ never said following Him would be easy.  If fact, just the opposite. 

John 16:33New Living Translation (NLT)

33 "I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

And

John 15:17-19 New Living Translation (NLT)

17 This is my command: Love each other.

The World’s Hatred
18 “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. 19 The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you.

His command, that we love one another, even our enemies.

Matthew 5:43-48 NLT

43 “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. 44 But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! 45 In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. 46 If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. 47 If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. 48 But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.

So we must love like Christ, give everyone honor. 

Taking an example from recent news, and just using it as a thinking point, not trying to bash those businesses.  If a gay or lesbian couple wanted something from your business for their wedding.  A cake, wedding clothes, invitations, etc..  You as a Christian, may not feel comfortable about participating in an event of this type.  If you do, are you promoting this lifestyle? 

Point 1:  Does the Bible say "Honor all people", or honor only those you agree with?

Point 2:  You may not agree with the "sin issue".  But tell me have you ever done a wedding for folks who lived together or had sex before marriage?  Or someone who has been divorced and is getting remarried?  Or for someone who is a notoriously greedy or abusive, or drunkards? 

You probably have.  Everyone has sin in their lives.  All of the above sins are mentioned in the same section of 1 Corinthians 6:9,10, but read on just a bit further through 6:11.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 NLT

9 Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, 10 or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. 11 Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

See in verse 11, some of you were like that.  But you were cleansed and made right through Christ. 

My question to you is, if someone doesn't show a person the love of Christ, maybe that person won't get to verse 11.  What if that person is supposed to be you?  What if you blow it by being hateful, or turning away their business?  Do you really want someone to lose out on the eternal life that Christ has to offer because of you?  I know I don't. 

So what do you do?  Get preachy, or all Church-Lady on them?  No, of course not.  Ask Christ to let you love them like He does.  Breathe, relax, they are not going to bite you.  They put their pants on, just like you do in the morning.  Give them your most sincere and heart felt smile.  Tell them it would be your pleasure to make their wedding day everything they hope it will be, then do your job.  Let them see Christ in you.  If you feel led by the Holy Spirit to say something, then do so.  Otherwise as Saint Francis of Assisi said “Preach the Gospel at all times, and when necessary, use words.”

One Christian's realization about Obama.

Finished reading Hebrews this morning.  Of late I have been convicted about my feelings, actions and behaviors towards President Obama.  Every time I want to like or share something about him that is negative.  I understand that even though, I do not agree with him, that, as a Christian, I am still supposed to honor and obey him as the leader which God has placed over me.  We are called to pray for our leaders too.  I don't know what to pray for, for him, except ask for God's will for him.  Many times the Church has suffered persecution, and more came to believe in Christ in the midst of it.  Soon, perhaps, the United States of America may become persecutors of Christians, more so than it already is.  I may not like it, but I know Romans 8:28 KJV says:

28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

This is a verse, that again reminded and convicted me this morning.  Hebrews 13:17 KJV.

17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

Note also that our leaders have a responsibility towards us in this verse too.  They have watch over our souls and must give an account.  Thus we can be assured that God will deal with our Leaders appropriately. 

Just thought I was supposed to share.

God bless.

Hebrews 12:2 and what it means to me.

Getting ready to start Hebrews.  Everytime I read it I wonder who authored it.  Always I have figured it was Apollos.  But the Nelson Study Bible said while Martin Luther and many others believed the same, one scholar, Adolf Harnack suggested Priscilla.  That may make more sense as to why no one knows, although they did in the early church, just left us to wonder.  The commentary suggests that the masculine pronoun in 11:32 probably rules that out.  What if she felt, that it would be better received if it was thought to be penned by a man?  Thus leaving out the introductory greetings and using a male pronoun?  Stranger things have been known to happen.  The commentary's author suggests that it is unlikely to be Apollos as he was an Alexandrian, and the Alexandrian church would have known it.  Unless they, like the Nazarenes failed to accept Apollos in his own home.  Luke 4:24 NKJV Then He said, "Assuredly, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own country."

Not to say Apollos was or was not a prophet, but I think the saying could still apply.  I do not know the relationship Apollos had with the Alexandrian church, but it's all just supposition. 

Anyway, my favorite verse is Hebrew 12:2 NKJV.

2 Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Ladies and Gentlemen, we are the "joy that was set before Him."  We are the reason He "endured the cross" even while he "despised the shame".  He did it for us.  To have the joy of being in relationship with us.  Despising the shame of our sins, taking our curse. 

Deuteronomy 21:22, 23 NKJV

22 “If a man has committed a sin deserving of death, and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, 23 his body shall not remain overnight on the tree, but you shall surely bury him that day, so that you do not defile the land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance; for he who is hanged is accursed of God.

Do you think Christ didn't know what a death, hung on a tree meant?  He is "the author and finisher of our faith." He is the Word.

John 1:1-5 NKJV

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

Christ is the Word, so He knew what he was doing as He hang upon the tree.  He was cursed for our sake.  So that we, His joy, might never need be separated from Him, on Earth, or in Heaven. 

Romans 3:23 NKJV

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 6:23 NKJV

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 5:8 NKJV

8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

He did, He died.  He took our burden of sin and shame.  He nailed them to a cross.  He who knew no sin became sin for us.

Matthew 11:28-30 NKJV

28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

So we could have freedom over death, Hell, and the grave.

So to accept this gift, we are all so unworthy of, what do we do?

Romans 10:8-13 NKJV

8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach):9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.”12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For“whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

I don't care who you are.  I don't care what you have done.  Christ loves you, died for you and wants to be with you forever.  He forgave me, and trust me, I have done so many things that broke His heart.  I repented, asked forgiveness, and He forgave, and forgot.

1 John 1:9 NKJV

9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Lamentations 3:22-24 NKJV

22 Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.

23 They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.

24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“Therefore I hope in Him!”

My hope is in You Lord, and You never disappoint.  I only intended to write that I was starting Hebrews and my favorite verse.  But You made this so much more.  Thank you Lord.