Friday, November 11, 2005

Friday Blessings


Well, here they are! I finished my glitter pumpkins. I really love how they turned out. They are beautiful in the low dining room light and I can't wait to see them with candlelight glowing on them at Thanksgiving. Thank you, Martha! :) (If you click on the photo you can see them larger. I also did a dark spruce green pumpkin that you can't see in this photo)

Oh, a blog note..... I absolutely love to read your comments. Makes me happy to know people are reading! Please be sure and leave your email address in the space provided or the address to your blog so I can write you back. I try to answer each comment and can't do that if I can't return your email. Blogger doesn't give direct addresses when it notifies me that I have a comment. (one of the downfalls of Blogger) Thanks!


I'm feeling very blessed this afternoon. We witnessed an awful car wreck on the freeway earlier. I have no idea how this guy walked away from the accident. If he had had a passenger in the car, the passenger would not have survived. His car was smashed in from all sides. The weird thing was that he ran away from the scene after he crawled out of the car! Probably a stolen car or someone with a warrant or suspended license. And 5 seconds earlier and we would have been involved in the accident, too. At lunch we prayed and please keep us safe while we are driving later. The Lord really does listen to our every prayer, even what seems like a small request at the time, like this. I felt his protection over us and have been shaken up, yet relieved and thankful all afternoon.

I heard a song yesterday that made me cry. I think Whitney Houston is one of the most talented singers ever born. (I can't stand seeing how she acts in her personal life, though. ..what a waste.) :( She just released a new Christmas CD and the song "Joy To the World" is phenomenal. It's done with a huge choir, gospel style and just makes you want to jump up and down! If you follow this link you can hear a small sample of the song. (scroll down the page to hear the song samples)

I don't have a lot to blog about today so I'll go ahead and share a recipe. I have had this recipe in my file for literally years and just made it for the first time on Wednesday night. We invited my Mom over for dinner so I decided I'd make something new and fun. Oh my.....we were wishing I had made 3 times as much. This is one of the best recipes I've made in quite a while! It would be great for a dinner party as it tastes and looks like a million bucks (very decadent!), but isn't much trouble at all. Very easy to prepare ahead of time, too. (just keep the chicken warm in the oven on a cooling rack placed on top of a cookie sheet)

Honey Pecan Fried Chicken
4 c. buttermilk
8 boneless chicken breasts
1 cup flour
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (can leave out if you don't like spicy)
2 sticks of butter (or margarine)
1/2 c. honey
1/2 c. pecans, coarsely chopped
vegetable oil

Pour buttermilk into a large bowl; add chicken, cover and refrigerate 1 1/2 hours. Drain chicken. Combine flour, salt, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper; dredge chicken in mixture, shaking off excess. Heat 1/2 to 3/4 inch of oil in a heavy skillet. Add chicken and fry slowly until crisp, golden brown and cooked through, about 7-10 minutes each side. Remove from the oil and place on a cooling rack placed on top of a cookie sheet. (keep this in the oven to keep chicken warm) Draining on a rack keeps the chicken crisp. Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat. Stir in honey and bring to a boil. Add pecans and simmer; keep glaze on low heat for about 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently. When you are ready to eat, you can either pour the sauce over the chicken on a serving platter OR you can serve the chicken without the sauce and let everyone pour on their own sauce.

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Have a blessed Autumn weekend :)
- Jennifer

"It is strange that while praying, we seldom ask for a change of character, but always a change of circumstances." - Anonymous

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Love, love, love the glitter and sparkle pumpkins. I just showed Alyssa and she said, "hmmmm, I'm going to remember that for next year." She loves anything glitzy and these certainly fit that bill. Jennifer, your table looks delightful. Nice job girlfriend.

And, just so I say it again, I am SO GLAD that you were watched over and kept safe from harm today. That accident sounds like a scary one. HUGS to you.

Carrie Anne said...

Jennifer - I am so glad that you are alright...close calls are sometimes just as scary as the real thing. I would have totally been shaken up too!

Your pumpkins look GREAT! I bet your house is so festive and pretty.

Shell said...

Love your pumpkins, Jen!!! And I have to thank you for posting about the decorative tape from Target the other day... I stopped by today and got a couple rolls. Love it!

Anonymous said...

OMGOSH...those pumpkins are gorgeous. Because of you, I have started TIVOing Martha and watching it after the kiddies are in bed. I LOVE IT! That is really scary about the accident....I'm so glad that you were just witnesses and not involved. Definitely a blessing. I've really missed reading your blog while I've been having my little baby!!!

Anonymous said...

Your pumpkins are beautiful; I can just see them in candlelight. Can't wait to try the new recipe...thanks :)

Anonymous said...

Love your pumpkins! How scary about the accident...that's so hard! :-(

You know...I'm gonna start having to try some of these awesome recipes you keep posting! Making me hungry! :-)

BTW...TAG, you're it!
Robin

*Heather said...

Just stopping in to say Hey my friend! I have some catching up to do! That wreck sounded awful but so glad it wasn't you! Have a wonderful SUnday! ;)

Jill said...

what an absolutely gorgeous dining table!!

Heather said...

EEK on the accident. . .glad you're safe.

Loving those pumpkins! Exactly how much glitter did you use? A ton? I have some pumpkins here that could use some sparkle!