Now We're Cookin'!!

There are so many things to learn as a new preacher's wife. Being on call 24/7, living in the parking lot of the church, having people you have never met call you Bro. Josh's wife when you pick up movies from Movie Gallery. But for me, the greatest challenge came in the form of a casserole dish. You see, at our church, we like to eat. A lot. At least every 4th Sunday. We also have a church full of women who could give Rachel Ray a run for her money. They are award winning pie bakers and $100 cake making experts. (I'm not kidding, somebody paid a $100 for one of our lady's cakes at an auction!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Do you know how many boxes of oreo pie filling you can buy for that?!?!) But that is the point...their stuff does NOT comes from boxes. My stuff does...

My specialty is a pasta dish you may also know as "Suddenly Pasta". One of our dear girls went on and on about how much she likes it one time that I took it. So, it became one of my usual contributions. Even I can make "Suddenly Pasta". Well, I thought I could. There was one Sunday I stayed home sick, but sent my food by Josh. (Don't worry, I was not contagious.) He brought me a plate that night complete with some of my "Suddenly Pasta". It was...plain. It was at that moment I looked in my kitchen and saw the seasoning packet sitting on the counter. Truly I had sent boxed food to an eating event and it was only half done!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, the last couple of months I have tried to spread my cooking wings. Last month I was out of town and had forgotten about it so I created what I called the "what is left in the fridge" casserole. Several people just raved about it and wanted the recipe. I wish I had my camera with me to capture the looks of amazement on people's faces when they found out I was the one who brought it.

Well today we had our Harvest Sunday complete with dinner after the morning service. It is always a big deal and we were expecting a bigger crowd so I fixed 3 casseroles and a bread pudding. I had never made a bread pudding, mind you, but it seemed like something our ladies would do. Y'all, those ladies just went on and on about how good it was. I felt like I had arrived. I was inching my way into the inner circle of Betty Crockerdom. I also had a couple of people ask for the recipe for one of my casseroles. It was a proud moment.

Never fear, God does not allow pride to dwell long in my soul. One of the boys came and sat across the table from me and heard me bragging to Josh about what all of the ladies had said. He said, "Yea, they are all saying "She can cook now!"" LOL. I could just see all of the ladies gathered in the kitchen cautiously testing a food product brought in by the box cooking, city girl preacher's wife. They must have thought the fact that I brought real food was as miraculous as Jesus walking on water!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you LORD, for little miracles. :)