Church Bake Sale and Peanut Butter Banana Date Bread

   I love to bake. I really enjoying cooking, always have, but I love to bake. I especially like it when someone enjoys what I have made. It makes whatever it took to get that baked worth it. Not to mention how much cheaper and more rewarding and fulfilling it is than therapy. :-) When I can bake to help further the Kingdom of God, all the better the blessing. Our Women's Ministry at church periodically will raise money for things like the school we have and missions. The Sunday before Thanksgiving after church we had a bake sale. I pulled out some card stock tags, ink and some stamps and got started.

These are the stamps used for tags on each item to sell.

Happy Thanksgiving 

Blessings

Happy Thanksgiving with autumn leaves

Give Thanks

Tags done~ quick, easy and fun.

   Now it is on to baking. I am going to make No~Bake Cookies, Banana Oatmeal Muffins of which half will be topped with Maple Buttercream frosting and Peanut Butter Banana Date Bread.


   I do appreciate the money I can save shopping at Aldi's and I do like their products. Most of their products are as good and some better than high priced and name brand products at the traditional groceries. I have mentioned I do not like their soap or cleaning products, household or personal hygiene items. I have found another product I will not purchase again and threw out the entire can after I took the 1/3 cup out for the cookies and met the result with complete disaster. See that canister of "Baker's Corner Baking Cocoa"? I highly recommend you skip that one at Aldi's. The recipe for these cookies you will see on blue spiral tablet paper is from a project I did in fourth grade. I have used this recipe ever since and have made it the same way every time. For the last 15 years or so I have made them in the same pot. I have never had a batch turn out badly. I do not work in a cocoa kitchen of any kind but based on the outcome of the batch of cookies this baking cocoa produced they either pressed far too much of  the fat out of the cacao beans or added far too much alkalizing agent to it. My guess is they did both. I do enjoy Aldi's oatmeal almost everyday for breakfast and use it for all my recipes that call for oats or oatmeal. When I went to the grocery to get Hershey's Cocoa I also bought some Quaker Oats. That was probably not necessary but I had things to do on the Saturday I was baking and buying Quaker Oats just gave me a little peace of mind.

Aldi's Oats and Baking Cocoa

Tried and true Quaker Oats and Hershey's Cocoa.

This recipe I use was one I made in 4th grade for a class project.

That was back in the day where I folded everything :-)

No Bake Cookies

2 cups sugar

1/3 cup cocoa

1 stick real butter

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/2 cups oats

Put first four ingredients in saucepan and bring to a medium boil for 4 minutes, 5 minutes is too much so take the pan off of the heat before 5 minutes. I usually let it boil for about 4 minutes.

Add vanilla.

Stir in oats until they are evenly distributed and drop on wax paper.

Enjoy!

Let them cool while the other two recipes are made.

 Pale in color, dry, crumbly and slightly more tasty than artificially flavored cardboard. For comparison, these are from the batch made from the Aldi's cocoa which quickly made their way to the trash.

    Whip up two more items for the bake sale and I can package them up. Both recipes will call for ripened banana's and I had two that would work. I am making a double batch of both recipes which will call for a total of 10 bananas. So the eight that needed a little ripening are headed for some manufactured accelerated ripening.

These are just not ripe enough so in the oven they go for about 5-8 minutes on 350°.

They look like a mess, but they were perfect. I buy banana's, Jon eats them. So this is what I do. 

   The next recipe is Banana Oatmeal Muffins. Spark Recipes is full of fun and delicious healthy recipes. It is a cite worth perusing. Because their byline and purpose is to provide healthy recipes I was a little surprised to find one there that had 1/2 cup of shortening in its list of ingredients. This recipe in its original form does call for just that and you will see that if you opt to go to the original recipe. Originally this also called for chocolate chips and chopped walnuts. I only keep shortening around if I am doing a decorated cake that I must have pure white frosting for and can not use a pure buttercream which has a cream colored cast to it. So, I used 1/2 cup of butter instead of the shortening and I do not use the chocolate chips or walnuts in this particular banana muffin recipe. I like both individually or together in banana muffins, but the simple and wonderful flavor of this muffin is just too good to goober it up with other layers of flavor. Using oats in a recipe is a great way to add incredible texture and to bind and hold the ingredients together. When I discovered this recipe an entirely new world opened up for me in the world of baking. Pre~cooked oatmeal offers so much to this recipe. I would not put it in meatballs, but anywhere the oats are not needed for binding other ingredients together I am experimenting with pre~cooked oatmeal. Here is the original Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins on Spark Recipes.

   Below the photos is my rendition of that recipe and I call them just:   Banana Oatmeal Muffins.

Simple ingredients you most likely have at a any given time.

In recipes like this that add mashed banana's I use one bowl. I love to bake, not clean unnecessary dishes.

This recipe calls for sifting. I sift for all recipes with rare exception. Aerating the flour gives a nicer end result.

These are amazingly moist, rich and so full of simple flavor.

Banana Oatmeal Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

Preheat oven to 350. Grease or line muffin pan.

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 tsp Vanilla extract

2 ripe bananas

1 cup Cooked Oatmeal  (which is 1/2 cup of oats cooked in 1 cup water)

2 cups all~purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

If you are not using leftover oatmeal and are making it for this recipe; make the oatmeal first so it can cool before adding to batter.

In a large bowl cream together butter, sugar, egg and vanilla. Add banana’s and mash them, then add cooked and cooled oatmeal. Stir all together until nicely blended. Sift in flour, baking soda and salt. Stir just until dry ingredients are moistened.  Spoon batter into prepared muffins cups filling to about 2/3 full. 

Bake 22-25 minutes, or until done. They will be golden around the edges and paler on top.

Cool on a wire rack for a few minutes then remove muffins from pan placing them back on cooling rack. Good served warm or cold.

   The next recipe will be a double batch of Peanut Butter Banana Date Bread.

Pampered Chef Measure~All® Cup

   Since there is no creaming of the ingredients in the Peanut Butter Banana Date Bread I have mashed bananas in advance rather than mashing them with the whole of the other ingredients. I don't want to overwork the quick bread dough by mashing them in the batter. I pause to show you this because this Pampered Chef Measure~All® Cup is great for butter, bananas, peanut butter, or any solid ingredient. If you turn the tool around and flip it over you will see that it measures liquid from the opposite end. I love NOT scraping food out of a measuring cup. You simply press the whole of the ingredient measured out with one gentle push. Happiness! 

   My father was a great cook, and if it were bread of some kind he loved to bake. He made the best Pepperoni Bread. It seemed to take forever with the rising time, but well worth the wait! Below is a cookbooklet published spring of 1985 and that is when I bought it. Thumbing through it I happened onto the Peanut Butter Banana Date Bread recipe. It was a quick bread and not a yeast bread, but because of the three mentioned ingredients I just knew dad would want to try it when I showed it to him. I knew being made with a mix wouldn't hinder his wanting to give it a go because quick breads, thought not the boxed ones, were really his thing. I made a mental note to put the cookbooklet in my purse so I would have it with me after church Sunday as the girls and I usually went to Grandma and Grandpa's house for Sunday dinner. Then it occurred to me ~ he's gone Teresa, he is not there. Dad died just a few months earlier in January that year. If you have ever lost someone you had very regular contact with, and loved as one does a parent, you understand I was not crazy for not remembering at that moment so soon after his passing that he was in fact, gone. So, suffice it to say this particular cookbooklet brings a tinge to my heart, a churn to my stomach and brief moment of heat to my eyes. That is why I like to use if for fun things, and I thought to bake a loaf or two of that bread for the church bake sale just seemed right.

The tag says, "tried & true".

Simple ingredients.

I do not want a full loaf sitting about the house so I made a little individual serving to split with Jon.

This would be where Emeril Lagasse's "smellavision" would be nice. Delightful aroma!

Once cool these little darlings can be wrapped for the bake sale.

Ours however are going to be eaten warm. 

Here is the recipe.

Peanut Butter Banana Date Bread

1 box Pillsbury Date or Nut Bread Mix  (I always use date.)
1 cup mashed bananas
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 tablespoons oil
1 egg
1 tablespoon wheat germ

Heat oven to 350°F. Using solid shortening grease and flour bottom only of 8X4 or 9X5 inch loaf pan. In large bowl, combine all ingredients except wheat germ; stir 50 to 75 strokes until dry particles are moistened. Pour into prepared pan; sprinkle with wheat germ.

Bake at 350°F for 45 to 55 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pan. Cool completely before slicing. Wrap tightly and store in refrigerator. Makes 1 loaf.

You can use creamy or crunchy peanut butter, I use creamy for this bread. Like the photo suggests, I do spread peanut butter on this when I snack on it, I like and use the crunchy then. Fig preserves and orange marmalade age good choices, too. I use canola oil for the oil in the recipe. I rarely use shortening but I do to grease and flour this bread. This may not be tofu on spinach with a balsamic vinaigrette but I did give it the Healthy Eating label because overall for a snack it is not so bad, particularly if you are comparing it to "snack cakes", especially the store bought varieties.

The wrapping and packaging begins.

The flavor in these is rustic and simple, and they are so moist.  They are  perfect for Autumn.

3 cookies to a cup.

Done!

   I hope your Thanksgiving was full of all the people and things you are thankful for!

Simple, scrumptious and satisfying Sunday breakfast.

I had contemplated muffins and scones, maybe even sausage gravy and buttermilk biscuits this morning, but pancakes won out. I picked this Krusteaz Honey Wheat pancake mix up yesterday at Super Target. Good groceries are slim pickens around here, but if I travel just a few miles the shopping gets better... MUCH better. I discovered some really good grocery shopping yesterday, finally. I spotted this and in the cart it went. It looked good enough to forgo scratch, and Krusteaz is really a good choice if you do buy boxed. So.......we start with this.

Mix 2 cups of mix and 1 1/2 cups of water. Let it sit while you....
chop up a few handful of these. (yes I know they are chopped, I just did them up a bit more)

Put the walnuts on the griddle for about 5 minutes to toast them. Stir them about a few times. Once toasted, throw them in the batter.



While the walnuts are toasting, put about 3/4 ~ 1 cup of these

in a cup and cover them well with water. Pop them in the microwave and plump them. To do this just cook them on high for about two minutes. Drain and stir in batter.

Bake them on your griddle @ 350°.

Real butter, real Vermont maple syrup.......... and there you have it, a simple and very satisfying Sunday breakfast. I served Millstone Hazelnut coffee. Scrumptious!

Next time I reach for this wonderful mix I think pumpkin puree, pecans and currants will be involved. :-)

The mix is primarily whole wheat flour, there is some soy flour, and wheat bran. Add the omega goodness of the walnuts, and the concentrated flavonoid and bacteria blocking properties along with the antioxidant capacities of the cranberry.... well you have a really tasty, crunchy and chewy fiber filled, nutritious reason to have some butter and syrup.

Oh, the real maple syrup has significant amounts of manganese and is a good source of zinc. It is also packed with a concentration of minerals.

So, scrumptious and sweet that you can feel good about.

I'd love to hear what you think if you whip these up.

Sorry about the imported photo's and no finished result photo. I have to find a way to blog properly with my schedule. I'll get it all sorted.

Red Pepper Vinaigrette

The day before yesterday, I decided to finish up the leftover Angel Hair pasta that was in the refrigerator. I was going to get enough healthy fat for the day from the walnuts at breakfast, the salmon at dinner and some cheese I would be having on the pasta. So, I really did not want to drizzle olive oil over the pasta. I decided to use up the last of the Newman's Own Lighten Up Italian Dressing. The bottle you see in the picture below is that emptied bottle, and is the 8 ounce size. Then, the next day I am wanting to have a nice big ol' spinach based salad. Oops... dressing??? I receive Dr. Andrew Weil's, Daily Tips and Weekly Bulletin's, in my email. I remembered seeing in one of the Weekly Bulletin's, a recipe for salad vinaigrette that I wanted to give a go some time. Seemed like just the time to do that. I had all of the necessary ingredients on hand, and went at it. The recipe below filled my empty bottle up perfectly, as you will see. Result... a very delicious way to accent your salad. This vinaigrette is so flavorful and satisfying. You know, I have known this for some time, and I am sure this will be redundant for you, but I must say how amazed and delighted I am to keep discovering how satisfied I am, how much more energy I have, and how much clearer my thinking is when I eat those foods that are healthy, and prepared the way they should be for my body to receive optimum benefit from them.

This vinaigrette has no fat in it, the ingredients are basically the staples of one's kitchen, it's a snap to make, it is very economical and so full of flavor that I have just switched from store bought, ready made dressings and vinaigrette's to this one. If you try it, please let me know what you think.

Now then, just for a side note, I wanted to mention the type of pasta I use. Barilla PLUS Pasta is the only pasta we now use. I left the white flour pasta world a long time ago. I have to admit though, I was never crazy about the whole wheat versions. Barilla PLUS tastes even better than I ever thought the white pasta did, and it is loaded with protein, fiber and Omega~3's. Yummy.... and again, satisfying.


Red Pepper Vinaigrette
Dr. Andrew Weil

Ingredients:

1/4 cup apple juice
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried whole oregano
Pinches of rosemary and thyme (Big pinches as I love these flavors.)
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 of a roasted red bell pepper (I did use bottled roasted red peppers.)

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and mix thoroughly. Simple huh?? :-)

Salmon: it's what's for dinner.

Last night for dinner we had:

Honey~Soy Broiled Salmon
Toasted Almonds in Rice Pilaf
Fresh Green Beans

The salmon was really good. I was surprised at how much flavor the marinade offered. And, it is so quick and easy to make. Not to mention everything from the salmon to sesame seeds are items I usually have on hand. It was so good, I thought I would share the recipe with you. I did not realize how good it was going to be, so I did not plan to post about it, and so it was eaten before I snapped a photo. Sorry. Having told you all of that, I will now share with you a little something my husband, (my burger, hot dog, pizza, processed and~or fast food loving husband), emailed me this morning.

This is the comic my husband sent me this morning.


No matter, it was healthy, delicious and satisfying. So, I pass the recipe sans photo along to you.

Honey-Soy Sauce Broiled Salmon

Ingredients:
1 scallion, minced (I call them spring onions, you may call them green onions)
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 pound salmon fillet cut into 4 portions
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds (see Tip)

Instructions:
1. Whisk scallion, soy sauce, vinegar, honey and ginger in a medium bowl until the honey is dissolved. Place salmon in a zip lock style plastic bag, add 3 (I used 5) tablespoons of the sauce, seal bag and refrigerate; let marinate for 15 minutes (I marinated for an hour). Reserve the remaining sauce.
2. Preheat broiler. Line a small baking pan with foil and coat with cooking spray. Transfer the salmon to the pan, skinned-side down. (Discard the marinade.) Broil the salmon 4 to 6 inches from the heat source until cooked through, 6 to 10 minutes(I turned salmon over and broiled for another 3 minutes on the opposite side to caramelize the honey a bit). Drizzle with the reserved sauce and garnish with sesame seeds.

TIP: To toast seeds: Cook in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.

My adaptation of a the recipe from EATINGWELL: The Magazine of Food & Health
Copyright 2005 Eating Well, Inc.

Green tomatoes are good eats!

I promised Kim, I would give her the Fried Green Tomatoes recipe I like. It tastes just like my father's used to. Oh YUM!!!! Um.. Um.. UMMMMM!

The recipe I found that tastes so yummylicious and so much like those from my childhood were published in this book.

The Green Tomato Cookbook,
Recipes from Juliette, GA
Home of the Movie "Fried Green Tomatoes"

Click the above cookbook link if you are interested in the wonderful little $3.99, Green Tomato Cookbook. There are really good recipes in that book like, English Green Tomato Chutney, Green Tomato & Apple Chutney,1940's Green Tomato Pie, Green Tomato Omelet With Basil, Green Tomato Jelly and more.

I bought my copy while in Juliette, Georgia last year. You can click here to see my post on that. Oh my goodness.....!!!!!!! In looking at that post, I have already posted the infamous Fried Green Tomato, recipe. Please if you would, just go to the "post" link and see. That is the one I would have put here.

For those of you experiencing that wonderful abundance problem with your tomato garden, I highly recommend the, Fried Green Tomatoes. And if you are ever anywhere near Juliette, Georgia, be sure to go to the Whistle Stop Cafe, and order a plate.

You know, in writing all of this and drooling some, it occurs to me that Kim, is working really hard on, and doing a great job with finding and altering recipes to help lower blood pressure. Okay, the bacon grease is not going to aid in that gallant effort. There is a baked, Fried Green Tomato recipe in that book. I will end this by putting that recipe on here for anyone wanting to be health conscious.

'Fried' Green Tomatoes

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
1tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Dash Cayenne pepper (optional)

4 large green tomatoes cut into 1/2" slices
1 egg white beaten with 2 tbsp water
Parmesan Cheese

Vegetable cooking spray

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a shallow dish, combine cornmeal, bread crumbs, paprika, salt, pepper and Cayenne, if desired; set aside.

Lightly coat a baking sheet with vegetable cooking spray; set aside. Dip each tomato slice in egg white mixture, then dredge in cornmeal~bread crumb mixture to coat. Place slices in a single layer on prepared baking sheet. Spray tops of slices with vegetable cooking spray.

Bake 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese during last 5 minutes of baking if desired. Serve immediately.

I have never made these, but if you are looking to healthy up the original recipe, this is probably pretty good eats. Rosie Daley, calls this technique "Unfried" in her book, In the Kitchen with Rosie: Oprah's Favorite Recipes. By the way, this is a good book for just plain ol' overall health.

Here's hoping you'll love the Fried Green Tomatoes!

I've been tagged, and oh yeah, I've moved!

My Okie ~ British friend Sarah, has tagged me. This is the first time I have ever been tagged. Whoo Hoo!!! I am a little surprised as although I have been reading and keeping up with those I blogs I enjoy reading, I have not been posting much lately. I suppose now is as good a time as any to get around to mentioning why. Some of you are aware, and others of you are not, that Jon, Baxter and I moved to Oklahoma, a few weeks ago. Actually, since it is the 10th, we have been here exactly one month now. We knew we would be leaving the Chesterton, Indiana, area. We had felt God’s leading for some time. I honestly thought we would be heading southeast. But God, had a different plan. We are now Okie’s, or as some say, Sooners.

Every door we tried to open in the Nashville, or Atlanta, area was shut hard and fast. The door here in Oklahoma, was completely a God thing. It is a great move for Jon’s career, the people he works for are amazing in the way they run their business, (it came as no surprise to find out they were Christians), and the weather and people here are so great. We are loving it here. And, we are now involved with a church that is beyond amazing. I have been to a number of churches and just want to say, the church we are now attending is by far the most balanced and biblically based church I have ever been to. I have never gone into this on my blog, but it completely distresses me how far off the “church” is today from the blueprint set up for her in the New Testament. Enough said on that right now, I will just highlight how happy we are at the church we are now at.

Alrighty then, to get on about the business at hand. I need to share six random things about myself that I have never shared on this blog, and then proceed to tag six people to do the same. Here goes.

The Rules:
1. Link to the person that tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write six random things about you in your blog post.
4. Tag six people in your post.
5. Let each person know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
6. Let the tagger know your entry is up.



Six random things about myself never shared on this blog.

I just have to say here that a tag like this makes you realize how much we do share on our blogs. As I try to think of random and so far undisclosed things about myself, I am acutely aware of how much I have shared. But... here we go.

1. Although there are many places I love to be, one of my favorite places to be is in the water. I find being in water so freeing and such a release. I do like aquatic exercise better than any other form, but just being in the water gives me the feeling of such freedom, a complete break from any stress, and quite honestly I feel closer to God while in water than anywhere else. I realize He lives in me and that is theologically an off statement, but I am not talking about theology and fact. Some people read or write better inside of a building, outside at a park or beach... I feel closest to God in the water. Perhaps it is because I equate freedom with my relationship to Him. And, for a little extra added measure here, I have always wanted to swim with Dolphins. They are the most graceful and free spirited creatures on the planet. Just watch the way they sachet out of the water and the very same way they sachet back in, creating peacefully perfect movement.

2. There are so many things I really enjoy doing, but the thing I love to do the most is public speaking. I do enjoy being in dramatic productions. I enjoy being the MC for an event. I even enjoy narration for productions. Be that as it may, I am most myself when I am speaking to a group of people (the larger the better), about the Lord, His Word and what He has done in my life. I honestly believe that moving to Oklahoma, has been a strategic part of just what it is God is calling me out to do. And, I am very excited about the things He is laying on my heart in this area.

3. I have won first place blue ribbons in both “Show” and “Taste” in two baking contests. The first was for my Lemon Meringue Pie, the second for my Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting.

4. I have never been, nor I desire to be in the “Twiggy” category where my body is concerned. I am not tall and I do not have a gangly frame. I am 5’3”, and when my weight is appropriate I have an average and proportionate body shape. When my weight is where it should be, I like my body and my size. I especially like my height. However, after 7 years of much turmoil in 1999, I found myself weighing a solid 50 pounds more than I should. In 1999, I searched scripture for what God had to say about food, diligence, faithfulness and self-control. By applying those principles to my life, I lost and kept off 23 pounds. In 2002, I felt like it was time to begin an eating system that was right for me. After much prayer and research, I started doing the Weight Watcher’s point system, for eating. The program is do~able and successful because it is not a diet and gives you choices and responsibility, which create a life style rather than a setting you up for failure. Their system figures in fiber which is such an important element healthy eating. I will say right here that I did not and do not use the Weight Watcher's Tools for Living. These tools are bandages, and only give surface answers to what I found to be deep rooted issues where food is concerned. For that, I use the principles for food, diligence, faithfulness and self-control I have found in God’s, Tools for Living. In using His tools and the Weight Watcher’s point system, I took off the last 27 pounds in 2002.

That weight stayed off for nearly four years. I had foot surgery in 2006, that made walking (my everyday exercise) impossible for nearly a year. It has only been in the last few months that I can really walk with any ease. Consequently, I have put on ( I just got on the scale) 15.5 of those pounds. So, after my daughter and grandchildren leave and go back to Texas, after this really nice visit we are having right now, I am back on points and walking as I can. I will report on my success and maybe even journal some about this.

5. First, I want to say that while nothing can replace the practice of getting adequate amounts of sunshine, fresh air, exercise, rest, water and whole foods, to ensure good health, we need to examine the amount of essential nutrients we are receiving by the foods we do eat. For a vast amount of reasons from poor agriculture practices, to poor food processing, to the less than green environment we live in, we can not get everything we need and used to be able to receive through our food. However with careful research, both personally and medically, scientifically and through seeking and relying on the One Who created me to lead me, I have discovered the right brand and types of food supplements to take. I do not agree with all of the Shaklee products, and only use what I know is right for me. So, the 5th random thing about me is, I do use food supplements, and I use Shaklee. At this stage in my life I am having what I would call my own personal summers. :~) As long as I incorporate Shaklee's Energizing Soy Protein in my diet everyday, I rarely experience them. I can even drink coffee and tea with caffeine with no problem. Let me miss a day or two of the soy protein and it’s hot flashes all day long, and sleep is a little warmer than I like, too.

I used to struggle with an anemic condition and was on heart medicine. My last physical was typical of the physical exams I have had the last three years. All of my blood work, and we do the much more than just the CBC and a few panels, is great. All of the numbers you look at on my results are either right in the middle of the normal range, or slightly better than normal. Blood pressure is very good, too.

I do want to mention we can not replace the eating of adequate amounts of whole foods with the taking of food supplements, regardless of how high the quality. Also, though there are rave reviews regarding the loss of weight, particularly belly fat weight with Shaklee’s product called “Cinch”, and it apparently does have it’s ingredients derived from the same quality of food their other products are, I want to note it here that I am not in favor of the methods used by this product, nor the concept.

6. The last random thing I will list is a list of some things I would~will enjoy doing:

• Learn to fly an helicopter.
• Speak French with complete fluency.
• Meet and perhaps even have conversation Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth.
• Meet and perhaps even have conversation with First Lady, Laura Bush.
• Swim with Dolphins, I believe I mentioned that earlier.
• Watch all of my grandchildren become the people God created them to be.
• Travel some in France, Spain, Greece and of course... Britain.
• See my son~in~law back on domestic soil.
• Be involved in a true New Testament church, commonly known as "House Church".
  

Six people to tag because I'd love to hear their responses!

Barbara
Deborah
Jean
Kim
Mary
Tammy

Be blessed!