How we got started making Minestrone Soup. Many years ago Sarah and I volunteered for Habitat for Humanity. Several of our friends and family were volunteering to help build houses. She was too young to work on the houses so we volunteered to cook lunch during the week college students were working on the houses. We made crab pots full of this soup and served it with sandwiches. It worked out so well that after that we made it for youth group events, feeding the homeless, etc. through the years. And still make it today.
We started with the Betty Crocker Recipe of Minestrone for a Crowd
1carton (32 oz) Progresso™ chicken broth (4 cups) or 4 cups water
4cups tomato juice
1cup dry red wine or water
1tablespoon dried basil leaves
1teaspoon salt
1/2teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/4teaspoon pepper
2cups uncooked rotini, mostaccioli and shell pasta
Steps
1
Spray 8-quart nonstick Dutch oven with cooking spray; heat over medium heat. Add garlic and onion; cook about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion is tender.
2
Stir in remaining ingredients except pasta. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 45 minutes.
3
Heat to boiling. Stir in pasta. Return to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 10 to 15 minutes or until pasta is tender.
Redding Version
Substitute additional chicken broth for the tomato juice occasionally.
I omit pasta for those gluten intolerant.
Add a couple of yellow potatoes, and some fresh spinach leaves, and use fresh herbs when available, a can of garbanzo beans, and red beans and 1/2 cup of yellow lentils.
Many people make gingerbread houses this time of year and I think it’s a wonderful tradition. I love the smell of gingerbread. I do not make the gingerbread houses though.
Since the 1990’s I have made little graham cracker houses with my kids at Christmas time. I think my mom gave me the idea to do these. I make the houses and have them decorate them with candies. My daughter in law calls these candy houses. We still continue to do this though they are grown.
For the Houses
I buy the rectangular graham crackers. Make sure you do not get the stacks. Some brands are better for this than others. This year the Walmart Great Value brand has been the best. They are not as fragile. It had less broken crackers to start with and not a single one broke during the construction. And they are less expensive.
The Honey Maid graham crackers are much thinner. Whole packages were already broken before the box was opened. They were a bit frustrating to work with.
A regular size box of graham crackers will usually make 3 houses if none break.
HINT: I use the broken graham crackers for crumbs, which I can use to make peanut butter balls or graham cracker crusts.
Put Your House On Cake Boards or Cardboard Squares Covered with Foil
Prepare your boards for the houses. I use cake boards or cardboard covered with foil. You can decide what size you want to use. This year I used 12 inch diameter cake boards. Sometimes I use squares or rectangles. Some of the kids like to do elaborate “yards” so they like having some space to decorate outside the house.
Frosting Recipe:
The royal frosting or “glue” only takes three ingredients.
Meringue powder, powdered sugar, and water.
I use Wilton’s recipe.
4 cups of powdered sugar
3 Tablespoons meringue powder
5 Tablespoons warm warm
Add all of these to the mixer bowl. I use my Kitchen Aid. Beat on low for 7-10 minutes. If it is too thick add a Tablespoon of warm water. This is the consistency I use for the houses.
Royal frosting (“glue”)
After this is made I cover it with a damp towel until I am ready to use it. It will get crusty and crunchy if you leave it uncovered. Covering it with plastic wrap may work too.
Assembling the Houses
To make the houses you need 8 whole graham crackers for each house.
Pieces for the house (missing the two rectangles for the roof).
I use a serrated knife to gently saw the ends of the houses. Don’t press too hard or you will break the cracker. Gently keep it from moving while you saw. If you look in the photo you will see that I have made a line from the edge of the middle horizontal line to the top of the vertical line .
I cut one set at a time. When you are done cutting a set you are ready to assemble.
Fill your decorator bag with frosting. Decide where to position the house on the board. Also whether you want the ends joined to the inside of the walls or outside.
Squeeze a line of frosting the length of the graham cracker. Place one graham cracker standing up. This year I put the ends on the outside so I put frosting on the cut triangle piece and added it to the first wall. Next I added the other wall and finally the second triangle piece.
The Roof
When this is done you will need a roof. Since the walls are on the inside the roof can be a little tricky. I let the house set for a minute and then I add a line of frosting to the inside of the triangle on each end and a line of frosting to the top of the wall. I gently add the first half of the roof. You may need to gently press the house to get the walls adhered or straightened. If one is tipped out a bit you can slide a knife down from the roof and gently slide it into position.
Next repeat for the second half of the roof. Gently press the tops to try to make them meet. If there is a gap at the top add a line of frosting to each side and add a squiggle of snow to cover the gap. If you have a problem it can be fixed.
I’m sorry I didn’t take any photos of the assembly process.
Each little house will be different. These are not for magazine or instagram photos. These are for happy kids, making memories, and spending time together. I hope you have a great time making messes and memories with the kids in your life!
Other Ideas
I have done these with senior centers and libraries. I make up all the little houses and the seniors invite the kids in their lives to bring candy and decorate the house. For the libraries the kids sign up for the program and the library provides the materials. Great Fun!
We are in California visiting our family. We’ve had a fun few days. My sister-in-law recommended we go to Point Reyes National Seashore. We are so glad she did.
It was a beautiful day driving curving roads through farms and ranches and small communities. The sky was so very blue.
Bird Sanctuary
It was just a beautiful day. We saw a lot of deer and many birds on the way to the park. Did you know that over 490 different types of birds can be found here? Over 54% of all North American bird species can be found at Point Reyes. Migrating birds find it a great place to stop.
Market Day at Point Reyes Station
On the way to the seashore we stopped at Point Reyes Station. A cute town and it just happened to be Market Day. I grabbed some locally blended organic tea, Earl Grey lavender, locally made toffee, and a couple of gifts. Then we got back in the car.
Overlook Point Reyes National Seashore
Sand Dunes
The drive up the road passed through some sand dunes and dairy farms. We parked and walked to one overlook. We could see way down the coastline and deer grazing in the brush. Smelling the air was refreshing, it was so clean and clear.
Point Reyes Visitor Center
I decided to walk the half mile to the visitor center and lighthouse while the guys stayed at the lower overlook. I am a bit partial to lighthouses. Over 43 years ago I said yes to marrying Lawrence at the Umpqua Lighthouse in Oregon. I have always loved lighthouses.
It was a beautiful walk and there were a lot of people coming and going to the lighthouse. When I arrived I realized there was handicap parking available near the visitor center. I looked around the visitor center and talked with the park ranger. She said I could bring the car up so that Lawrence could enjoy the view. I looked from the top at the lighthouse below. There are 303 steps to the lighthouse. The walk up and down is equal to climbing a 30 floor building. I decided to wait.
After talking with the ranger I was excited to tell Lawrence and Daniel we could drive up. I tried to call the guys but they did not hear the call. Admiring the beautiful ocean blue a bit more before I walked the half mile back to the parking lot. I found the guys and told them the news. We opened the gate and drove through. Then we all got to enjoy the view together.
303 Steps Point Reyes National Seashore303 Steps Point Reyes National Seashore
303 Steps
Down the 303 steps to the lighthouse looked a bit steep but I went. I could see whales out in the water! I was so excited. There were also some interesting birds that sort of skim the water as they take flight. They were fun to watch. More deer and some wildflowers to admire. There was a skeleton of the jaws of a whale. Lawrence and Daniel walked to the top overlooking the lighthouse. They hung around there while I walked slowly and carefully down.
Point Reyes LighthousePoint Reyes National SeashoreWhale Bones Point Reyes National SeashoreLawrence and Daniel Point Reyes National SeashoreLighthouse Point Reyes National Seashore
The lighthouse was built in 1870. It was not an easy walk down. My legs were really feeling it but not nearly as bad as going back up the hill! My legs felt rubbery and a bit shaky and I was out of breath. I finally made it to the top after visiting the rest stops they had built along the way.
We walked toward our car and got the binoculars out and watched some more whales blowing before we proceeded back toward home.
Our fuel gauge said we should have gotten fuel. We made it back to Point Reyes Station and got fuel. We also saw a Native Group doing a dance while we were fueling up.
Point Reyes Station Native Dances
On our way home we stopped at Costco and got a few things. We decided to have Chicken Masala and lemon rice for dinner.
Fresh Lemons Martinez, California
Fresh Lemons
Home! We started preparation for dinner and realized we needed lemons. We took a walk to the fire station where there is a lemon tree and picked a couple of huge lemons for the rice. Back home we finished cooking dinner and zesting our lemons. John Mark arrived and got in on the zesting. We had a scrumptious dinner together.
Loch Lomond boat ride, history, and castles along the shore. It was a privilege to share this adventure with our two oldest sons, their wives, and little Asher. It was a beautiful day.
We met Jon and Arlene Galloway for breakfast and a great visit after so many years. I love that in the body of Christ we always have the most important thing in common. It was really neat to find out our daughter-in-law Emily’s family were also mutual friends with the Galloways and had shared some special time in Scotland when Emily was a baby.
On our way to the Cathedral we passed a thrift store so of course we had to stop. We found a few treasures and loaded back into the car and headed to the Cathedral.
We had a great tour guide who was very knowledgable. This is the oldest place I have ever touched. I was awed by the fact that people have been sharing and preserving God’s word for so long. The size of this cathedral, the markings of the masons showing pride in their work. This is an amazing structure. It is still in use today.
In March my husband and I had the great opportunity to visit Scotland. Our son graduated with his Master’s Degree in Philosophy, Science, and Religion from the University of Edinburgh.
Because of Covid graduations were postponed. The school set a date and invited those who had completed their work during the pandemic to come for a special graduation.
Graduation was held in the beautiful McEwan Hall. It was a wonderful day and a wonderful accomplishment. Afterwards we walked around the campus and attended a reception for the graduates. The receptions were held by department.
This was the reason we were in Scotland but there was so much more to our trip I will try to share soon.
Isn’t this a funny question? So am I a morning or evening person? I find this is more of a question of sleep patterns. When do I sleep best?
Every test I read to determine whether I am a morning or evening person deals with my sleep patterns and energy levels during the day. That’s probably a good measure. Some studies suggest that morning people are happier than evening people. When most of the world is on your schedule you would probably be happier too.
Childhood
As a child, I could sleep deeply through anything (rain, storms, morning wake-up calls, fights, etc.). I could also stay up late reading the last few pages of a captivating book. I never remember having a bedtime. I do remember being sleepy in school.
My natural tendency is to go to bed early and rise early. I am thankful that I have a lot of energy and can be flexible with sleep and other things too. When I wake up early, I feel excited about a new day. I have a lot more energy in the mornings and get a lot done. Yesterday, I woke with a lot of energy, and by noon I had accomplished a long list of things and hit 10,000 steps!
Motherhood
After the birth of my first child, Micah, I was never going to sleep the same again. Yes, Daniel Redding, all conversations lead to childbirth. Even when you sleep, there is a heightened awareness of sounds. After having 11 children in 22 years, I learned to survive on a few hours of sleep. When my children became teenagers, I couldn’t sleep until I knew they were safely home. I was up early with babies and late with teens. I treasured our late-night chats. In the 1990s, when I was pregnant every year, if I was a morning person or an evening person, I don’t know. I was surviving.
Working
In 2014 I went to work after 35 years of raising children. My early schedule meant another change in my sleep patterns. I could function at work on 6 hours of sleep for a day or two, but I usually needed at least 7 hours of sleep. I loved the early schedule.
Empty Nest
Now if I wake up in the night, it is not to the sounds of a baby crying, but it might still be my children or friends in different time zones. Or I might awake thinking about one of my children. I use this awake time to pray for my children just as I did when I was rocking and nursing them back to sleep long ago.
I am an adult now. I can sleep whenever I want to!
I am glad I got to see the Kelpies on our trip in March to Scotland.
