by sherricrandall | Aug 11, 2023 | Recipes
Watermelon Lemonade
Ingredients
6 c. cubed seedless watermelon, chilled
4 c. cold water ( You can also use sparkling water )
3/4 c. freshly squeezed lemon juice
2/3 c. granulated sugar
Ice
Fresh mint leaves
Instructions:
In a blender, blend watermelon chunks until well pureed – Pour through a fine mesh strainer to reduce pulp
In a large pitcher, whisk water, fresh lemon juice and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Add the watermelon puree and ice.
Pour over ice and serve with fresh mint. Store in refrigerator
Enjoy !
by sherricrandall | Aug 11, 2023 | Recipes
Watermelon Salad
Ingredients
Watermelon – 1 small melon or 1/2 of a large melon (cubed into bite size pieces)
1 English cucumber, sliced
1 shallot – chopped finely
1/2 c. fresh mint leaves
1/2 c. fresh basil leaves
1/2 c. crumbled feta cheese
Dressing
1/2 c. nonfat greek yogurt
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. honey
juice of 1 lime
salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients and chill in refrigerator at least 20 minutes prior to serving.
This is a great summer salad to enjoy alongside hamburgers, turkey burgers or grilled chicken.
ENJOY!
by sherricrandall | Aug 11, 2023 | General
An Experiment in Gratitude
Be thankful for today. You only see it once.
I came across this quote several years ago, and I wrote it down. It seemed profound. I saw it during a time in my life that was particularly hard. If I am being honest, it was on a day that I would never want to repeat and I struggled to find the good in it and be thankful.
Life is like that, some days are hard and some days everything seems to align and feel carefree. It is during this time that I was desperate to find the good that I started focusing on little things that were good. A good cup of coffee, a sweet conversation, a bloom on a rosebush or the sound of a bird song drifting across the breeze. I focused on each of my kids, their unique and fun personalities. I made connection with my husband a big priority everyday – Holding hands, saying I love you.
Those gestures didn’t erase the hard, but they made me realize that hard and good can live side by side. As a matter of fact, they always do. Some days we might have to get out the proverbial binoculars to see it, but I promise you it is there if we make the effort to be intentional.
This past month, I did a 10 day “Unexpected Joy” challenge on Instagram. I shared the small things that brought me joy and asked people to join me and share their small joys too. The amount of messages I received was overwhelming. Together we intentionally sought joy which brought about a lot of gratitude. It really was the small things right in front of us.
I even had one lady tell me she found joy in her husband snoring because he had just battled a serious illness and survived and his snoring meant he was still with her. I cried when I read her message. It is the shift to gratitude that allows us to feel joy even when we are experiencing pain.
I pray today you find small things that bring you great joy!
“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” – William Arthur Ward.Jun 26, 2020
by sherricrandall | Jul 17, 2023 | General
Have you ever tried peeling a label off of a new glass? Really, any new item with a label affixed to it. It’s not an easy task. I recently purchased new glasses for my dining room and it was quite an ordeal trying to get the labels off of those glasses. I had to soak them, then scrub, then pick at the adhesive. I went to dry them and could still feel the tackiness and had to start over. Three times I went through the process before the label was removed.
Have you ever thought of the labels that might be attached to you? Everyone has them. Labels are used to describe ourselves and solidify who we are. Labels make up identity and can affect the way we interact with others and the world, but they also affect how the world interacts with us.
On my recent trip to Greece, I met a young mom who was living in Athens because she had recently become a Ukrainian refugee. She shared her story with me and it was heartbreaking. Through her tears and broken English, she told me she would have never imagined using the word refugee to describe herself. She wanted me to know that she was educated, that she loved her family, that she was actually a Russian woman married to a Ukrainian man and how at one point that was celebrated but now this identity had complicated things in her life so much. She wanted me to know that she was not looking for a hand out but at the moment, she needed it more than ever. She went back and forth sharing with me the labels she was proud of and the labels she wanted to get rid of.
Oftentimes, labels are something that we pride ourselves on. The positive ways in which we relate to others who have similar interests, accomplishments or upbringings. Many times we have been labeled by others or even harder, ourselves, and it is a label like the one stuck to the glass that we are trying hard to get rid of. We feel the stickiness of the situation or habits that led us to that uncomfortable label even if the label isn’t apparent to the eye.
Despite the fact that we all have various labels, one label that is true for all of us is “child of God”. We were made in His image and scripture tells us we were perfectly and wonderfully made. Yes, we all have made mistakes and added unwanted labels to the mix or perhaps are too proud of the labels we find pleasing and think others will approve of. When I keep it simple and remove the labels both good and bad, I find other people. People just trying to live their best lives. When I remove the labels, I can relate on the most basic level that we all desire to be seen and be loved.
by sherricrandall | Jul 14, 2023 | Recipes
When I was a little girl, my grandma would make what she called a “Poke Cake” She usually made it for her girlfriends when they were coming over to play bridge or for a Sunday dinner after church. She always used Cool Whip, but I prefer real whipping cream – you choose 🙂
I hope this easy strawberry cake brings joy to your celebration or you can make an ordinary week night feel special.
Enjoy!
Sherri
Ingredients
You are going to start with a white cake mix. Just follow directions on the box. I like to make 2 9 inch rounds and layer this cake but you can also use a 9×13 pan.
- 1 (3-oz.) box strawberry Jell-O
FROSTING
- 1 1/2 c. heavy whipping cream
- 1 (8-oz.) block cream cheese, room temperature
- 2/3 c. powdered sugar
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp. kosher salt
TOPPING
- 24 vanilla sandwich cookies, such as Golden Oreos
- (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 (3-oz.) box strawberry Jell-O
- Fresh strawberries, halved for decoration on top and on sides of cake
Next steps…
After your cake has cooled, use a fork to poke holes in the cake. Make sure you don’t go all the way through to the bottom.
In a small saucepan, bring 1/2 cup water to a boil. Add Jell-O powder; whisk until dissolved. Remove from heat and whisk in 1/2 cup cold water.
Pour the gelatin mixture evenly over holes on cake. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours
In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer, beat heavy whipping cream on high speed until stiff peaks form.
In another large bowl, using handheld mixer, beat cream cheese on medium-high speed until smooth and fluffy. Add powdered sugar and beat until smooth, then add in vanilla and salt. Fold in whipped cream. Spread frosting over top of cake.
In a food processor, pulse cookies to pea-sized crumbs. Transfer to a medium bowl. Pour melted butter over crumbs, sprinkle with Jell-O powder, and stir to combine.
Sprinkle crumb mixture over frosting, pressing lightly into the frosting so it adheres.
Add freshly cut strawberries and creatively decorate
