Fwd: [thesimple_life] Thankful for Autumn

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The Simple Life

by Sheryl Simons

 

SLICE THROUGH WINTER SQUASH WITH EASE

Don't you just love winter squash? I will always remember

the Autumn dinners we used to have at my old church, First Baptist of

Port Huron. They wouldn't think of having a Harvest dinner without a

big pan of winter squash and boy did, and do I love it! If there has

to be fall and we have to leave summer behind, then at least there

are the brilliant fall colors and wonderful winter squash to help us

get through the thought that winter - cold dreary blizzardy winter -

is on the way.

 

I usually bake squash, with a pan of water alongside. For an hour or

so. Then, when it is sufficiently tender, I scoop it out, mash it up

with some butter, and a teaspoon or two of brown sugar, and a bit of

salt and pepper. Mmmm. There's hardly anything so good. But when I

go to bake the squash, I have to cut it in half and scoop out the

seeds. There is now an easier way! Try this:

 

First, pierce the squash all over with a fork, then place

it on a foil lined baking sheet and heat in a 350 degree oven for 20

min. This will soften the squash so you can easily slide a knife

through its flesh to scoop out the seeds.

 

* * *

Election Woes

Election time again? Gosh, just thinking about it can give me a

belly ache. There is so much at stake! Our economy definitely needs

a boost. We are way to far in debt (glad my check book is

balanced!) So many pressing needs all at once! I already know how I

will vote. But one little tiny vote, out of millions? Our Bible

study on Wednesday morning is praying together once a week. We are

not debating, but just praying for God's guidance and wisdom for our

country. After all, one vote doesn't go that far. But who can

measure our prayers? We can't see down the road, but God, in His

wisdom, can see what we cannot. If you have a group that meets

regularly, why not join our group and pray for our great nation,

wisdom for our leaders, and a return to the values of our fore-

fathers, instead of the corporate greed we see so much of these

days.

 

Cheerios Jumbo Breakfast Cookies

Make these ahead for busy mornings!

 

24 min | 10 min prep SERVES 12 - 12 cookies

 

1 1/4 cups sugar

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup water

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 egg

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour

1 cup old fashioned oats or quick-cooking oat

1 cup raisins

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

4 cups Cheerios toasted oat cereal

 

Heat oven to 375°. Stir together sugar, butter, peanut butter, water,

vanilla and egg in large bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients except

cereal. Gently stir in cereal.

Drop dough by rounded 1/3 cupfuls 4 inches apart onto ungreased large

cookie sheet. Flatten dough to about 1 inch thick.

Bake 13 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes

before removing from cookie sheet. Store loosely covered.

 

* * *

 

" I cannot endure to waste anything as precious as autumn sunshine by

staying in the house. So I spend almost all the daylight hours in

the open air. " ~~ Nathaniel Hawthorne

" Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a

bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns. "

~~George Eliot

 

" Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting

and autumn a mosaic of them all. " ~~ Stanley Horowitz

 

Keeping it Simple,

Sheryl

 

Contact me with your favorite recipes, questions, comments and simple

living ideas that work for you. Email: thesimple_life or

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