Perseverance, Green Chile Chicken Cheese Soup & Quick Peanut Butter Cookies

"The real voyage of discovery consists

not in seeking new landscapes,

but in having new eyes."

~ Marcel Proust

The last day of the year.

I could write about how year after year this season has me in a cooking and baking frenzy expanding the waistbands of everyone that crosses my path. Dinner party after glorious dinner party. Delectable treat after treat. Until I join with the rest of America on the yearly pilgrimage to....sigh.....The Muffin-Top Crossroads: that terrifying place where one must choose their fate....do we buy bigger jeans??? or do we bust out the Fluidity Bar, wipe the dust off of the protein shake container, and let P-90X awaken us from our sugar comas and exercise our hearts and bodies into cardiovascular oblivion. Yes!

Or...I could write about how my husband drove white knuckled through a blizzard in his attempt to reach his love on time for New Years Eve, only to arrive with the onset of a nasty cold. How two coughing, runny nosed children in Pittsburgh Steelers pajamas and one wife with a sore throat were there, waiting and ready to join him by his side for a camp out on the living room floor. How we have been swimming in a sea of blankets and a mountain of pillows in our cave-like atmosphere, only the twinkling lights of the christmas tree illuminating our path...a pile of movies,Twizzlers, M&Ms and left over baked goodies in hand. How I let my daughter eat yogurt and golfishies for dinner....does that make me the worst mom on the planet.....or the coolest mom on the planet? It is a holiday, right?

I could write about how I whipped up a pot of green chile chicken cheese soup *recipe below* to warm our colds and our spirits. How I threw together a quick nosh of pepperoni, fresh basil and mozzarella cheese wrapped in puff pastry and ready to be dipped in marinara sauce for our movie watching and snacking pleasure. And...drum roll please....how I made a batch of "the easiest Peanut Butter Cookies in the universe" *recipe below* so we would have no fear of stepping off of our sugar highs any time soon.

Yes, I could write about all of those things.....

But what I really want to write about, what I really want to share, is my gratitude for all this year has ushered in, through both the joy and the pain. What a full year it has been...

We started this year off with lots of "new"....enjoying all of the changes that our move from where we had spent the last decade of our lives had brought us, the birth of our son, connecting with family and reveling in new friendships that were beginning to forge, appreciating the thrill of stepping outside of our comfort zones, allowing ourselves to be stretched...experiencing great enthusiasms and great losses.....I never could have anticipated all that this year would bring, all of the unexpected "gifts" we would receive even amidst great trial.

I am reminded yet again of the necessity and sheer beauty of letting go, 

going with the flow, enjoying "the journey"with all of it's twists and turns,

discovering the hidden treasures along the way.

I have been thinking much on what it is I'd like to purpose in my heart to do this coming year. And it all comes down to perseverance. Perseverance is defined as "Continuing in a course of action without regard to discouragement, opposition or previous failure.”

Tragedy can strike at any moment, yes? Whether it is our health, or the health of a loved one, sudden financial instability, a broken relationship, death, prodigal children.... And yet through these trials we can either become bitter - or better. We can give up - or grow up.

Lenya Heitzig shared the comment by famous television personality Arthur Godfrey of how he recounts a lesson he learned while watching a local blacksmith separate scrap metal into two piles. She tells the story like this: "After carefully examining each piece, the blacksmith would cast some metal into a pile on his right, while the other scraps were thrown into a heap on his left. Godfrey asked the blacksmith what the two piles represented. The smithy replied, "I can see that some of the metal will be useful when it's put through the fire. There is something in it that will let it go through the fire and come out refined and perfected. But the other metal is useless, it cannot take the fire, so I have to toss it into the junk heap." That experience forged a favorite prayer that Godfrey uttered throughout his life. Whenever a difficult circumstance turned up the heat in his life, he knew that God was using that fiery trial to refine him. Believing that God's ultimate plan was to make him a better man, Arthur would pray "Lord, fire! (not the junk heap!)" "

Oh let that be our prayer! "Lord, Fire! Not the junk heap!" I re-read Hebrews 11 (the great "hall of faith") to be reminded of those who went before us. Let us have patience that produces staying power! Let us abide, continue, endure, tarry so that we can be mature and complete and lacking nothing!

Perseverance: "Continuing in a course of action without regard to discouragement, opposition or previous failure.”

May this coming year be filled with lots of "new" for each of you...new awareness...new significance...new perspective...new purpose...

Green Chile Chicken Cheese Soup

This soup has been a comfort through many snow storms and chilly days. While I am not generally a fan of "canned soup," this recipe was taught to me from an old friend Anthony used to work with many many moons ago. Mark & Brandy Murray taught me how to make this soup, and I have since adapted it. Although we seem to have lost touch over the years, every time I make it, it reminds me of late nights sipping tonics, listening to great music, and playing Pente in Ranchos de Taos/Llano Quemado with our old friends.

Ingredients:

1 Can of Cream of Chicken Soup

1 Can of Cheddar Cheese Soup

1 soup can of milk

1/4 cup - 1/2 cup of green chile sauce - or - chopped green chile, roasted and peeled

1/4 cup - 1/2 cup of cooked rice

1/2 cup of chicken, cooked and cubed or shredded

shredded cheddar and green onions for garnish

pour the first 4 ingredients into a pot, bring to a boil

add the rice and chicken

*you may even add some cooked mushrooms if you'd like :)

plate, and garnish with cheddar cheese and green onions

serve with a hot tortilla

Quick Peanut Butter Cookies

My Aunt Debra shared this recipe while chatting during her last visit, and it reminded me that this recipe was emailed to me by Richard Copple's Wife through a recipe exchange the month before. This recipe should come with a warning label....they are too easy to make and you can't eat just one.....

Ingredients:

1 Cup of Peanut Butter

1 Cup of Sugar

1 egg

*yes that is it!!! No flour in this recipe, you only need these three things!!!!

Mix ingredients together, form into balls, put onto greased cookie sheet (or parchment paper lined baking sheet)

you may use a fork to smash them if you desire

Bake at 350 for 12 minutes

*add a topping such as a hershey's kiss or a mini peanut butter cup in the center of each one after it comes out of the oven if you so desire

Mangia!

Praying for a very peaceful and blessed New Year to you all....

Red or Green? It's Christmas Time!

"If our greatest need had been information,

God would have sent an educator.

If our greatest need had been technology,

God would have sent us a scientist.

If our greatest need had been money,

God would have sent us an economist.

But since our greatest need was forgiveness,

God sent us a Savior."

~ Max Lucado

Red or Green?

No, I'm not referring to festive color schemes.

But I am talking about "christmas."A different kind of "christmas."

Chile.

And if you're like me, you simply cannot decide.

Just ask my husband.

So when the waitress asks the infamous New Mexican state question: "Red or Green?"

us indecisive peeps simply reply "Christmas please!"

Christmas chile. Is there anything grander? Perhaps. But not when it comes to my enchiladas.

And so, I would like to share with you the recipes for the very staple of New Mexican cuisine, as it was taught to me.

Red and Green Chile.

And I'm not talking from the powder folks. Straight from the pods. yes indeed.

*recipes below*

This time of year, you can bet that just about every New Mexican household is feasting on a plethora of

enchiladas, tamales, posole, rellenos, sopapillas, tacos, fresh torts,

and all the biscochitos you can fathom.

sigh....I heart New Mexico.

That's what I'll be doing. And as the sound of laughter from friends and family fills the air, embraces will be exchanged.

Hearts will be rejoicing in exultation at the whole reason we gather together,

to celebrate the birth of our Saviour.

"...the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light. And for those who lived in the land where death casts its shadow, a light has shined." (Isaiah 9:2, Matthew 4:6 NLT)

I'd like to close by sharing my all time favorite Christmas song with you, "How Many Kings" by Down Here.

This, Sweet Bellas, is the reason for the season.

Follow the star to a place unexpected

Would you believe, after all we've projected,

A child in a manger?

Lowly and small, the weakest of all

Unlikeliest hero, wrapped in his mother's shawl -

Just a child -

Is this who we've waited for? 'cause...

How many kings stepped down from their thrones?

How many lords have abandoned their homes?

How many greats have become the least for me?

And how many gods have poured out their hearts

To romance a world that is torn all apart

How many fathers gave up their sons for me?

Only One did that for me.

Bringing our gifts for the newborn Savior

All that we have, whether costly or meek

Because we believe.

Gold for his honor, and frankincense for his pleasure

And myrrh for the cross he will suffer

Do you believe?

Is this who we've waited for?

How many kings stepped down from their thrones?

How many lords have abandoned their homes?

How many greats have become the least for me?

And how many gods have poured out their hearts

To romance a world that is torn all apart

How many fathers gave up their sons for me?

Only One did that for me.

All for me...

All for you...

Merry Christmas!

RED CHILE CARRIBE SAUCE

Wash and remove seeds, stems, ( the more seeds you leave in, the hotter the sauce will be).

I generally use about 12-15 pods to make a nice batch of chili for one pan of enchiladas

and still have enough left over for a breakfast or two.

Place dried red chile pods in a large pot of water, cover, and bring to a boil.

Cook pods until they become plump and tender.

Turn off heat, and allow pods and water to cool completely.

Once cooled, using tongs, take the pods and put them in the blender and puree with some of the stock

from the pot and a teaspoon of dried oregano.

Continue to do this in batches until all of the pods are blended into a thick sauce,

about the consistency of just a bit more watery than a tomato paste.

In a large skillet, sautee 3 cloves of garlic with 3 Tbsp of oil (or lard) :)

*traditionally, people brown cubed pork, or beef, next, but disregard if you would like this to be vegetarian.

as soon as the garlic starts to give off an aroma and the oil is bubbling around the garlic

add 2 Tbsp of flour to create a roux

Immediately add the chili puree to the pan and stir well.

Add about a cup of water, and salt to taste. You may add more water to your desire, constantly tasting until it's just right.

Allow the sauce to cook down and thicken just a bit.

Turn off heat.

Smother over anything and everything until your heart is content!

GREEN CHILE SAUCE

In a large skillet, sautee 3 cloves of garlic with 3 Tbsp of oil (or lard) :)

*traditionally, people brown cubed pork, or beef, cubed or ground, next,

but disregard if you would like this to be vegetarian.

as soon as the garlic starts to give off an aroma and the oil is bubbling around the garlic

add 2 Tbsp of flour to create a roux

Immediately add appx. 2 cups of chopped green chili (roasted and peeled) to the pan and stir well.

Add about 2 cups of water, and 14 oz. of fresh diced tomatoes,

or you may use one can of diced tomatoes. Salt to taste.

Allow it to cook down and thicken, taste to see if it needs more water.

Let your tastebuds be your guide here.

You may add more water to your desire, constantly tasting until it's just right.

Allow the sauce to cook down and thicken.

Turn off heat.

Smother over anything and everything until your heart is content!