The Winter Blues

Well this is the time of year everyone dreads...February and March. The time when everything turns brown and dingy. Everyone has had enough of the cold and snow....even sinking to a level of depression over the lack of sun, outdoor activity and the seemingly endless months of driving in snow, slush and ice. But we don't have to think this way or feel this way.

Think of these months as the beginning.....

The beginning of Spring! Soon the sights of blossoms will greet our eyes. The scent of blossoms will fill the air with a natural fragrance you wish you could bottle up. As we head into Spring, we see the beginning of life. The miracle of God's love as nature begins to rebuild itself after the cold, snowy season.

Begin planning your garden. For those starting their own seeds for their garden, you should be starting soon. Most seeds need to be started indoors an average of 10 weeks before being planted into the garden. Check your seed packages for timeframes. This is also the time I take to decide what I want, how much I want (for canning, freezing, eating, donating) and how I want the rows to be. To me this is exciting! The beginning process of your garden. After all, who can hardly wait for the abundance of fresh veggies at hand in the peak of summer. There is nothing like going out to the garden and asking yourself, "what do we want for dinner tonight?"

Begin Planning your summer plans. Summer vacations, vacation Bible school, kids camps, whew! The closer you get to summer the busier your life will get, especially if you have kids. Make sure you get your kids involved. Where do they want to go? What do they want to do? If you're on a strict budget (who isn't), challenge yourselves to find a reasonable place to go. Some places in the Michigan Upper Peninsula only require a state park sticker to get it. Can you find some place to go for free? These plans can make the winter blues go so much easier.

Begin Your Spring Cleaning. It may not be the most enjoyable job, but think of it when it's done....just in time for the sunshine. Cleaning out, getting rid of the old, making room, seeing parts of your house that you haven't seen in awhile.

Beginning of yard sale season! Yes...hard to think of that, but it's not too far off, especially after everyone gets their spring cleaning done. It becomes a mad race to be the first to have one. Begin making your list of stuff you'll look for. If you have kids, get sizes ready. Nothing like starting a new school year with a whole 'new' wardrobe for the kids without the new wardrobe price. Are you looking for certain appliances? Outdoor furniture? Tools? Yard sales are the place to look, especially if you are on a tight budget. When I started planting my large garden to can fresh vegetables, I knew I needed to buy a pressure canner. Looking in the store, I realized the price for a good pressure canner started around $50 and went up depending on the size and brand. I found two pressure canners at a yard sale for $10 each. One canner was missing the seal, however I was able to order it online for about $10. So for $30 I have two quart-size pressure canners.

Make the best of these months, learn from them, enjoy them...because each month is a gift from God.

Chicken Club Ring

Another new recipe that turned out great. Kids liked to pick up the triangles to eat...said it was great finger food. Because there are 6 of us (plus Rod's lunch the next day), this makes 2 rings. You can cut the recipe in half for a smaller amount. This would be great for a brunch or potluck.

1 c mayonnaise
2 tbs Dijon mustard
2 tbs parsley
2 tbs paprika
1 tbs onion, finely chopped
6 sliced bacon, crisply cooked and chopped
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cooked and chopped (or can use 2 10-oz cans chunk white chicken drained)
1 c swiss cheese
4 pkg crescent rolls

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine mayonnaise, mustard, onion and mix well. Add chicken, bacon and cheese and mix well.

Separate crescent rolls into triangles (use 16 triangles for each ring). Arrange in a circle with wide ends overlapping in the center and the points of triangle towards the outside. Schoop chicken mixture evenly onto the widest end of each triangle. Bring outside points of triangle up over filling and tuck under wide ends of dough at center of ring.

Bake 20-25 minutes or until deep golden brown.

Four-Cheese Pesto Baked Pasta

I love new recipes and have to try at least one a week. This one turned out great! Even my picky 7-year old went back for seconds...something she rarely does. I didn't have goat cheese when I made it so I did half swiss and half sharp white cheddar. This recipe came out of Paula Deen's "The Deen Family Cookbook".

Ingredients
1 lb uncooked spaghetti
1 lb ricotta cheese
Two 6- to 7-ounce containers prepared pesto
2 1/2 cups shredded mozzerella
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 cup crumbled goat cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 13x9 baking dish. Cook the spaghetti for 2 minutes less than the package directions specify. In a large stir in the ricotta, pesto, 1 cup mozzarella, 1/2 cup parmesan and the goat cheese. Drain the spaghetti well and add to bowl. Toss the mixture well and transfer to the baking dish.

Sprinkle the remaining 1-1/2 cups mozzarella and 1/2 cup parmesan over the pasta. Bake until the cheese is melted, about 20 minutes.