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Family Favorite – Chicken Parmesan Meatballs
One of my family’s most requested dishes is Chicken Parmesan Meatballs. I’ve been making these for years, and they are consistently delicious. They come together quickly, and they also freeze very well…so, I figured it would be a good recipe to share here. Video of the process: [wpvideo vSA8Msbv ] Ingredients: 1 lb. Ground chicken 1/2 -1 cup panko crumbs (or to feel) 1/4 cup wheat germ (optional) 1tsp parsley 1 tsp granulated garlic 1 tsp salt pepper 1/2 tsp dried basil 1/2 tsp dried oregano 1/2 tsp paprika (optional) 1 egg Marinara sauce DIRECTIONS Oven to 350° Combine all ingredients (except sauce) and mix Lightly oil an oven-proof skillet…
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No Sliced Bread? No Worries…Make Focaccia
As we enter the second week of social distancing, I have no profound words to share, BUT I have a solution for you if you’ve had trouble consistently procuring sliced bread. Focaccia! If you have never baked bread, this is a perfect recipe for a novice – very little hands-on effort, fairly quick turn-around time, and no bread flour needed. The recipe I use is one I found a few years ago on the internets: https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/rosemary-focaccia.html I use her method almost exactly except that I don’t use rosemary, but instead top the dough with a little sprinkling of coarse salt, garlic powder, and sometimes a little Parmesan – and, in…
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Church Biscuits
Because I couldn’t make Instagram video play nice, here’s the whole video. Enjoy 😉 For the recipe, follow this link: The One About Biscuits
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Full Circle
Three years ago today I received the call – the one that threw my family into a different orbit for some time to come. Lately, I’ve been pondering the last three years a good deal. I’ve noticed how much more “healed” I feel now. The Lord keeps impressing on me to notice these things…and to share them. So, today I share again. THREE has felt very significant lately. After some very quick research, I found that THREE represents wholeness, completion. I experienced a moment of wonder when I found this information. In this particular journey, it has taken three years to feel whole again. This wholeness isn’t something I’ve achieved…
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Madie’s Story
My baby girl turns 11 today. Time has a way of softening memories, so I’m writing the story surrounding her birth as a gift to her future self. Madie is my rainbow. That’s a phrase I’ve said to anyone who would listen many times over the years. I say it because her life reminds me that God keeps his promises. Ashley and I found out that we were expecting while traveling to a friend’s wedding rehearsal. We were talking about trying for another child soon, but this news was a surprise. I was so excited and at the same time very anxious as our son was born 6 weeks early,…
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The One About Biscuits
Almost every morning of my childhood, my mom made biscuits. She made them from the Pioneer Brand boxed mix and put a pat of Country Crock in each one straight out of the oven. Mom ran a daycare in our house during the week, and all the children knew to expect biscuits at Aunt Sue’s house (every. single. morning.). I’ve never been big on breakfast, so I would have a biscuit after school when they were room temp, but butter had melted all through the inside while they were still warm – a little nugget of perfection. These days, I make biscuits on Saturday mornings whenever possible. I love them all year long,…
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Surviving
This morning as I drove my daughter downtown to Nutcracker practice, enthusiastically singing along to 70s dance hits, feeling carefree and happy, tears sprang to my eyes. This is what surviving looks like right now – deliciously, blissfully mundane and normal. Not a week goes by that I’m not hit with this same feeling of thankfulness – just insert a different scenario. The practice of referring to cancer patients as “survivors” has generally unsettled me, but I’ve never been able to put words to what bothered me about it. Lately, my thoughts have come together. I have realized that the label of “survivor” (noun) implies something that has already happened.…
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Showing Kindness
Today marks a year since my first chemotherapy treatment. A year since a very needy season of my life picked up steam. So, so much kindness was shown to my family. Over the months while I was receiving treatment, I jotted down some thoughts on how I could best love on others once I was able to shower the love on others instead of just receiving it myself. I’m going to share those thoughts plus some others with you in the hopes that they encourage you to extend kindness to someone who could use a little. Food – The need for food is universal, but tastes and household structure around food vary greatly.…
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One Year Later
Friday, November 4, 2016. One year ago. I received confirmation of the biopsy results that redirected my family’s time, resources, attention, and hearts for a while to come. We didn’t expect this, nor did we want it, but we managed through it. Some of you know that I really love a paper planner. But, what does a planner have to do with cancer? Nothing, I thought. But, now, just one of those little God details looking back that sends shivers up my spine. Last year I ordered a new brand of planner. This one allowed you to start on any month you choose, so I had it start in November because…
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Adjustment Period
You know what happens when you write a blog post with “abundance” in the title? The enemy swoops in and attacks, causing you to question every line you typed. But, let me tell you, the enemy ain’t got nothin’ on my King [I know, preach Devin!]. For every doubt, every question, every bit of melancholy, Jesus meets me. He’s reminding me that I don’t have to be crippled by chemo for Him to carry me! Summer ended. School started back. I expected the hardest part of the transition to be my eldest starting middle school. Nope. The hardest part of school starting back was going back into the routine of “school normal”…
affectionately known as "Mama Devin" to some…