That's Amore!

THERE IS NOTHING SWEETER THAN SPENDING VALENTINE'S DAY WITH THE ONES THAT MAKE YOUR LIFE EXTRA SWEET. IRONICALLY, THE 14TH WAS FILLED WITH MORE UNEXPECTED AND SOUR MOMENTS THAN SWEET IN OUR HOUSEHOLD.

HOWEVER, WHEN THOSE MOMENTS OCCUR WITH THE ONES I TREASURE MOST IN LIFE, I STILL FIND MYSELF SMILING AT THE END OF THE DAY.

LAST YEAR WE STARTED A VALENTINE'S TRADITION OF VENTURING TO BARNES AND NOBLE SO THAT EACH MEMBER OF THE FAMILY COULD PICK OUT A NEW BOOK. JEFF AND I BOTH LOVE TO READ, AND BE STILL MY BEATING HEART, SO DO OUR CHILDREN. WE SPENT MOST OF OUR TIME IN THE CHILDREN'S SECTION, AS NO TRIP TO BARNES AND NOBLE WOULD BE COMPLETE WITHOUT A STOP AT THE TRAIN TABLE. IN ADDITION, CHARLOTTE CANNOT HELP BUT READ EVERY BOOK THAT IS WITHIN HER REACH. WE FINALLY PRESENTED HER WITH FIVE OPTIONS, AND AFTER SHE CAREFULLY PICKED EACH BOOK UP, TURNED IT OVER, AND REFLECTED UPON ITS TITLE, SHE FINALLY MADE HER CHOICE. I HAD A HEAVY HAND IN JOE'S SELECTION, BUT I ENJOYED A QUIET MOMENT WITH HIM AS WE TEST READ FOUR "TOUCH AND FEEL" BOOKS BEFORE MAKING OUR FINAL DECISION. I WATCHED ON AS MY DEAR HUSBAND THOUGHTFULLY CONSIDERED TWO TITLES WHILE OUR SWEET DAUGHTER RAN CIRCLES AROUND HIM WITH HER NEWLY ACQUIRED BALLOON. AND, AS FOR ME I LET MY LOVE OF RECIPES, ROMANCE AND MEMOIRS GUIDE MY VALENTINE PICK. (WE ALSO HAD TO THROW IN TWO COMMEMORATIVE SPORTS MAGAZINES TO FOREVER DOCUMENT OUR BELOVED WORLD CHAMPION PACKERS.)

WE ALWAYS LOOK FORWARD TO RECEIVING OUR BIG VALENTINE'S DAY BOX FROM MIMI. SHE ALWAYS HAS SOMETHING SWEET TO SEND OUR WAY.



OUR BUDDING FASHIONISTA.
SHE OPENED THE BOX AND LET OUT AN, "OH, I LOOOOVE IT!"


NO VALENTINE'S DAY WOULD BE COMPLETE WITHOUT SOMETHING SWEET TO EAT. I CAN ALWAYS COUNT ON MY GIRL TO HELP ME WHIP UP SOMETHING SPECIAL IN THE KITCHEN.


THE BEST PART OF CLEANING UP.


"UM, WHERE ARE ALL THESE SWEET TREATS I WAS PROMISED?!"


PERFECTING THE ART OF SPRINKLES.


SUCH CAUTION AND CARE.

"I'LL GET THE MEASURING CUPS!"

THESE TWO...

SUCH SWEET AND TENDER AFFECTION.

LAST WEEK CHARLOTTE TOLD JOEY, "YOU ARE MY BEST FRIEND."

EARLY IN OUR MARRIAGE I WAS SOMEWHAT TIMID WHEN IT CAME TO COOKING. JEFF WAS SO SUPPORTIVE AS I ATTEMPTED NEW RECIPES AND PREPARED OUR EVENING MEALS FOR TWO. THERE WAS ONE PARTICULAR RECIPE THAT STOOD OUT AND JEFF AFFECTIONATELY RENAMED "BISCUITS OF LOVE." I KNEW IT WAS GOOD WHEN HE SLAPPED HIS HANDS ON THE TABLE AND LET OUT A HEARTY, "Mm mm, Mm mm, MM MM!" IT HAS SINCE BECOME MY VALENTINE'S DINNER TO HIM. IT ALWAYS BRINGS BACK SWEET MEMORIES OF OUR FIRST YEAR OF MARRIAGE.

"BISCUITS OF LOVE"

(AKA Creamed Chicken and Biscuits)

Ingredients:

1/2 large onion, chopped

1-2 slabs butter

4 cups cooked chicken (as always use a rotisserie chicken for a quick prep and depth of flavor)
1 can cream of chicken soup (cream of chicken with herbs is also great)

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup chopped pimiento

1 1/2 cups Cheddar cheese, divided

6 refrigerator biscuits

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom and sides of 3 quart baking dish.

2. Chop onion. Heat butter in small skillet over medium-high heat until melted. Stir in onion and saute until tender.

3. Combine onion, chicken, soup, sour cream, milk and pimiento in a medium bowl and mix well. Spoon mixture into prepared baking dish. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven.

4. Sprinkle baked layer with 3/4 of Cheddar. Arrange biscuits in single layer over top. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

5. Bake until biscuits are golden brown and the sauce is bubbly, approximately 20 minutes longer. Serve immediately.

UNFORTUNATELY, MY VALENTINE NEVER MADE IT HOME FROM THE HOSPITAL TO ENJOY OUR ROMANTIC DINNER BY CANDLE LIGHT. AS I RECEIVED ONE TEXT AFTER ANOTHER ANNOUNCING A LATER ETA, I FELT MY HEART BEGIN TO SINK A LITTLE. HOWEVER, AS I ATE MY DINNER ALONE THAT NIGHT I HAD A LITTLE REVELATION, THAT COULD HAVE ONLY COME FROM ABOVE. WHILE MY HUSBAND AND I WERE UNABLE TO GUSH OVER ONE ANOTHER THAT EVENING, HE WAS DEMONSTRATING LOVE THAT NIGHT TO THE 3 YEAR OLD WHO SEVERELY CUT HIS FINGER AND TO HIS PARENTS WHO HAD TO SPEND THEIR VALENTINE'S NIGHT IN THE ER. (POOR COUPLE.) THAT MADE ME SMILE. I NO LONGER FELT SORRY FOR MYSELF, BUT WAS CONTENT TO KNOW THAT WE WOULD SHARE A SPECIAL MOMENT ON A DIFFERENT NIGHT. (YOU MIGHT BE TICKLED TO KNOW WE ARE STILL WAITING TO SHARE THAT MOMENT. MY VALENTINE'S CARD IS STILL PROPPED UP ON OUR KITCHEN COUNTER.) WHILE IT WAS NOT THE VALENTINE'S DAY OF MY DREAMS, I BELIEVE I LEARNED SEVERAL IMPORTANT LOVING LESSONS.

1. WHILE YOUR TODDLER MAY BE ABLE TO PRONOUNCE THE WORDS "VALENTINE'S DAY," THEY DO NOT NECESSARILY UNDERSTAND THE MEANING OF THOSE WORDS. THUS, YOU CANNOT EXPECT THEM TO SHOWER YOU WITH WORDS OF AFFECTION, LOVING ACTIONS, OR SWEET AND SUBMISSIVE ATTITUDES.

2. WHILE I FULLY SUPPORT THE IDEA OF SETTING ASIDE A DAY TO HONOR THE ONES YOU LOVE, TO (POSSIBLY) RECEIVE FLOWERS AND NOTES OF LOVE, IT IS MORE IMPORTANT TO DEMONSTRATE ONE'S LOVE ON A DAILY (AND CONTINUAL) BASIS.

3. IT IS BETTER TO GIVE THAN RECEIVE.

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY...

4. "GOD IS LOVE. WHOEVER LIVES IN LOVE LIVES IN GOD, AND GOD IN HIM. IN THIS WAY, LOVE IS MADE COMPLETE AMONG US SO THAT WE WILL HAVE CONFIDENCE ON THE DAY OF JUDGEMENT, BECAUSE IN THIS WORLD WE ARE LIKE HIM. THERE IS NO FEAR IN LOVE. BUT PERFECT LOVE DRIVES OUT FEAR... WE LOVE BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED US."

1 JOHN 4:16B - 19