Monthly Archives: August 2012
I’ve Made The Cut
I am so happy to announce to you that “I’ve Made The Cut” … My article Southern Pimento Cheese has been published in this week’s issue of Blog Book Magazine. BBOOKS, is a weekly E-Zine that started in Aug, 2012. It is focused on non-fiction and original content from the blogs.
BBOOKS Mission is:
- To channelize information from blogs.
- To promote bloggers.
- To bridge the gap between printed mass media and blogs.
- To provide a medium for easy and quick read to good posts on blogger, wordpress, tumblr etc at one place.
- To build a platform where readers could interact and vote for the authors.
This weeks publication is about “Continental Foods” and out of 20 blogger entries I was selected along with 5 others to be spotlighted in this week’s issue. To check out this week’s publication and to vote for my article as this weeks “Favorite Article” visit: http://bbookmagazine.wordpress.com/2012/08/31/continental-food-published/
To all my family, friends & followers I want to personally “Thank You” for making The Rays Of Sunshine a dream come true. It’s amazing to leave doing something you LOVE and go to doing something that you LOVE. If that at all makes any sense to you. LOL.
This opportunity to be showcased for what I absolutely love doing is truly a blessing. BBOOKS, you had me at “Congratulations” & I Thank You for this opportunity again. Even though The Rays Of Sunshine may be 2 months young; I whole-heartedly believe & boldly confess that this is just the beginning of “The Best Is Yet To Come!”
Love You Much & Be Bless, Tameca
Knowledge Can Be Dangerous
by Joyce Meyer – posted August 31, 2012
For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. — 1 Corinthians 2:2 (KJV)
This is such a glorious Scripture. You and I try to know everything, and here Paul is telling us that he did just the opposite. Unlike us, who worry about all the things we don’t know, Paul was trying to get rid of some of the things he did know. Why? Because he had discovered that, as the Bible teaches, sometimes knowledge can be aggravating (See Ecclesiastes 12:12). He had also discovered that knowledge can create pride, . . . [Yet mere] knowledge causes people to be puffed up (to bear themselves loftily and be proud) —1 Corinthians 8:1).
Sometimes the more knowledge we accumulate, the more problems we create. Often we plot and scheme and finagle to discover things that would be better left alone. Have you ever schemed to find out something that was going on and then when you did discover it, you sincerely wished you had stayed out of it? That is why Paul said that he had determined to know nothing but Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. Sometimes the more I think I know, the harder it is to follow God.
From the book New Day, New You by Joyce Meyer. Copyright © 2006 by Joyce Meyer. Published by InProv. All rights reserved.
Our Daily Bread – Turnaround
Read: Galatians 1:11-24
Bill was a friend of mine in semi- nary who had come to Christ out of a blatantly sinful lifestyle. He described it this way: “I was driving down the street drinking a bottle of brandy with another man’s wife at my side. When I saw some Christians on the sidewalk witnessing to passersby about Christ, I drove by and shouted, ‘Fools!’ But only a few weeks later I found myself kneeling in a church and asking Christ to become my Savior and Lord.” Bill’s conversion resulted in his giving up his old ways and experiencing a new life in Christ. It was a life-changing turnaround.
True repentance, which is initiated by the Holy Spirit, includes a real turnaround. Often we see that the greater the opposition to the gospel prior to conversion, the more stunning the change of direction afterward. When Saul of Tarsus encountered Christ on the road to Damascus, he was changed from a persecutor to a preacher of the gospel. Of this many observed: “He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy” (Gal. 1:23).
Authentic conversion includes repentance, which is a change of mind and direction. For the follower of Christ, repentance means to keep turning away from sin and turning toward Christ in obedience.
Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come;
Into the glorious gain of Thy cross,
Jesus, I come to Thee. —Sleeper
When All Is Said And Done
Today’s Scripture:
And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment. – Hebrews 9:27, NKJV.
Today’s Word:
So many people live life worried about what everyone else thinks and wondering how they can impress other people. But we have to realize that when we come to the end of life, we’re not going to stand before people to give an account of our lives, we are going to stand before Almighty God. He is not going to say, “Why didn’t you do what so-and-so said to do? Why didn’t you fit into their mold? Why didn’t you take their opinion?” No, He is going to ask, “Did you become who I created you to be? Did you stay true to what I put in your heart?”
This is where Saul missed it. Saul had a big destiny. God had great things in his future, but Saul was so insecure that he let people squeeze him into their mold. He was afraid he was going to disappoint somebody. He said in First Samuel 15:24, “I disobeyed the Lord’s instructions because I was afraid of the people, so I did what they asked.” Notice Saul knew what to do. He even admitted it, “I disobeyed God’s instructions.” Why? He was a people pleaser. He forfeited his destiny in order to please people. Friend, don’t let that be you! Don’t be a people pleaser, be a God pleaser because pleasing God is all that matters when all is said and done!
Prayer for Today:
Father God, today I set my heart and mind on pleasing You. Help me to break away from the snare of people pleasing. Help me to stand strong against criticism and learn to walk in love always. Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing to You always in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Copyright © 2012 Joel Osteen Ministries
Caprese On A Stick
Here’s a last minute appetizer that’s perfect for your Labor Day barbeque or football tailgate party. I love Caprese Salad so these little bites are a perfect snack. These are fresh, light, easy, healthy and delicious. Not to mention that the flavors compliment each other perfectly. You can add variations to this recipe based on your favorite Caprese salad ingredients. I included Kalamata olives on some of my skewers for an extra twist! So until next year, Goodbye summer!
Ingredients
- 2 boxes cherry tomatoes (red or yellow)
- 12 bocconcini (small mozzarella balls), about 8 ounces
- 1 bunch basil
- salt (coarse ground or Kosher)
- black pepper
- extra virgin olive oil
- balsamic vinegar
- oregano (use fresh if you have it, if not dry works well)
- Kalamata olives, pitted (optional)
- long pointed wooden skewers
Instructions
1. Prepare ingredients. Cut cherry tomatoes in half and cut mozzarella balls in half.
2. Skewer alternating tomato halves, mozzarella, basil leaves and kalamata olives (if using). Repeat with the remaining cheese and tomatoes.
3. Arrange on platter and drizzle balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, coarse salt, coarse ground black pepper, and oregano over skewers.
4. Feel free to be creative with the placement and amount of tomatoes or mozzarella based on your preferences.
Peanut Butter “Cheese Ball”
Well the time has come and I am ready for some football baby. And what goes perfect with football? Snacks of course. So here is a yummy recipe that takes the savory cheese ball and turns it into something sweet. Like I said before anything with peanut butter & chocolate; I’m All In!
Ingredients
- 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter (not all-natural)
- 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 3/4 cup milk chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup peanut butter chips
- Graham cracker sticks, teddy grahams, and/or apple slices for dipping
Instructions
1. Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, peanut butter and brown sugar in large mixer bowl until blended.
2. Spoon onto a large piece of plastic wrap; bring up all four corners and twist tightly forming into a ball shape.
3. Freeze for 1 hour 30 minutes or until firm enough to keep its shape. Place peanut butter and chocolate chips in flat dish. Remove plastic wrap from ball and roll ball into morsels to completely cover, pressing morsels into the ball if necessary.
4. Place ball on serving dish; cover and freeze for 2 hours or until almost firm. (Can be made ahead. If frozen overnight, thaw at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before serving.) Serve with graham cracker sticks, teddy grahams, or apple slices for dipping or spreading.
*Chef’s Note – Celery sticks and/or carrots make for an excellent dipper for this dip also.
Hot Bean Dip
The first time I had bean dip I was blown away. It was in my 1oth grade Spanish class. We had to do a presentation for class and one of my classmates had brought a bean dip for extra credit. I think he was just trying to kiss up to the teacher. Such a Show-off. Making us all look bad with his fabulous, oh so good bean dip.. Anywho, it was a big hit and everyone loved it. The only regret I have about it was I wish I got the recipe. Even though I have not found an exact replica, I have discovered this concoction that is Easy. Peasy. Hot and Cheesy. Just absolutely delicious. Try this hot cheesy delicious dip at your next gathering! Your friends will thank you!
Ingredients
- 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 (16 ounce) cans refried beans
- 1/2 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
- 5 drops hot pepper sauce
- 2 tablespoons dried parsley
- 1/4 cup chopped green onions
- 1 (8 ounce) block Cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 (8 ounce) block Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl, blend the cream cheese and sour cream. Mix in the refried beans, taco seasoning, hot pepper sauce, parsley, green onions, 1/2 the Cheddar cheese and 1/2 the Monterey Jack cheese.
3. Transfer the mixture to an 8×12 inch baking dish. Top with remaining Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses.
4. Bake in the preheated oven 20 to 30 minutes, until cheese is slightly browned.
Bourbon-Glazed Chicken Drumettes
I’m not a big drumette person but when I do indulge I prefer bar-b-que wings over buffalo wings. Here’s a recipe that is to be a sure crowd pleaser. Buffalo wings, all grown up!
Ingredients
for Bourbon-Glazed Chicken:
- 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled, thinly sliced
- 1 cup bourbon, divided
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1/2 cup hot pepper sauce (such as Crystal)
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 3 tablespoons (packed) brown sugar
- 30 chicken drumettes (about 4 pounds)
- onion powder
- garlic powder
- salt
- black pepper
- Celery and carrot sticks, for serving
for Blue Cheese Dipping Sauce:
- 1 ounce Roquefort cheese, crumbled
- 1/3 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons chopped scallions
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
- Juice of 1 lemon, fresh squeezed
- Juice of 1 lime, fresh squeezed
Instructions
1. For the blue cheese dip: Cream the Roquefort until smooth in a medium bowl. Mix in the yogurt, mayonnaise, scallions, salt, pepper, vinegar, lemon juice and lime juice until well blended. Chill for 2 hours or overnight.
2. Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté until golden, about 5 minutes. Add 3/4 cup bourbon; boil until most of liquid is absorbed, 6 to 8 minutes. Whisk in 1/4 cup bourbon, ketchup, hot pepper sauce, tomato paste, and brown sugar. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until sauce thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Season marinade with salt and pepper. Remove marinade from heat; cool to room temperature.
3. Place chicken drumettes in 15 x 10 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Pour marinade over and turn drumettes to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
4. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Place cooling rack atop prepared baking sheet. Arrange drumettes on rack, spacing slightly apart. Spread any remaining marinade from dish over drumettes. Sprinkle with onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
5. Bake drumettes (still on cooling rack) until cooked through and brown in spots, about 45 minutes. Transfer drumettes to serving platter. Serve Blue Cheese Dipping Sauce alongside.
Our Daily Bread – Panning For Gold
Read: Luke 18:18-30
While on vacation in Alaska, we visited the El Dorado Gold Mine near Fairbanks. After a tour and demonstrations of mining techniques during Gold Rush days, we got to do a little panning for gold. Each person was given a pan and a bag of dirt and stones. After pouring the contents into the pan, we added water from a trough and swirled it around to stir up the silt and allow the gold, which is heavy, to sink to the bottom. Even though we had watched experts, we made little progress. The reason? Concerned about discarding something of value, we were unwilling to throw away worthless stones.
This reminded me of how possessions sometimes keep us from finding what is truly valuable. Jesus had an encounter with a rich man for whom this was true. His earthly wealth was more important to him than spiritual treasure (Luke 18:18-30). Jesus said, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!” (v.24).
Although money is not evil, it can prevent us from inheriting true riches if accumulating it is the goal of our lives. To hoard wealth is foolish, for it is genuine faith, not gold, that will sustain us through trials and result in praise, honor, and glory to God (1 Peter 1:7).
I’d rather be His than have riches untold;
I’d rather have Jesus than houses or lands,
I’d rather be led by His nail-pierced hands. —Miller
I Am Lady Fab 