Friends are like diamonds – bright, beautiful, valuable, and always in style. I feel very fortunate to have many friends. Some are old friends, and some I have made more recently. My 65th birthday was several weeks ago. The invitations for lunch, cards and texts that I received reminded me of how lucky I am to have friends. I try to never forget friends that I don’t see very often, but they remain in my heart.
There are friends, there is family, and there are friends that become family. Three of my best friends are friends I have had since we were in kindergarten in Lexington, Mississippi. We get together every few months for lunch and a day of visiting, talking, reminiscing, and mainly laughter. We call ourselves the CHA CHA’s as an acronym for the school we attended – Central Holmes Academy (now Central Holmes Christian School). We always say that we love each other – warts and all. We don’t have to explain anything or apologize for anything. We know each other so well – there is no judgement in any way.
I am also fortunate that my sisters-in law are also my friends. Not only do we enjoy holidays and family events, we also take time for lunch and visits just to spend time with each other. I still remain in touch with what I call my “teacher friends” from schools where I have taught in the past.
*Things are never quite as scary when you’ve got friends.
*True friends are never apart, maybe in distance, but never in heart.
*The best mirror is an old friend.
*True friends are great riches.
*A faithful friend loves to the end.
*Good friends are like stars. You don’t always see them, but you know they are there.
*Friendship is the wine of life.
*Close friends are truly life’s treasures. Sometimes they know us better than we know ourselves.
*True friends are always together in spirit.
*A friend is a person who overlooks your broken fence and admires the flowers in your garden.
*Friends are those rare people who ask how we are and then wait to hear the answer.
*A true friend is someone who thinks you are a good egg, even though they know you are slightly cracked.
*A good friend knows all of your stories, but a best friend has lived them with you.
*There is nothing better than a friend, unless it is a friend with chocolate.
*In the wise words of Winnie the Pooh, “A day without a friend is like a pot without a single drop of honey left inside”.
The Bible tells us in Proverbs 17:17, “A friend loveth at all times”. Friendships are universal in all cultures and are important throughout a person’s life.
Let your friends know how much they mean to you. I hope you will enjoy today’s recipes. Thanks for reading.
OVERNIGHT TACO PASTA
1 ½ lbs. ground beef
1 (1 oz.) pkg. taco seasoning
½ cup water
1 can Cream of Chicken soup
1 ¼ cups milk
1 ¼ cups chicken broth
1 can diced Ro-Tel tomatoes, drained
8 oz. Velveeta cheese, shredded or diced
8 oz. elbow macaroni, uncooked
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend.
Spray a 9 x 13- inch baking dish with cooking spray. Brown ground beef and drain fat; add taco seasoning mix and water. Cook for 5 minutes until water has been absorbed. In a saucepan over low heat, combine soup, milk, chicken broth, tomatoes and Velveeta; cook until Velveeta melts. Combine cooked taco meat and sauce mixture; add uncooked macaroni. Pour into prepared pan, cover and refrigerate overnight. Remove casserole from refrigerator and uncover; bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Top with Mexican cheese blend the last 10 minutes of baking.
GARLIC BUTTER MUSHROOMS
2 lbs. button mushroom, cleaned and sliced
6 Tbsp. butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ lemon, juiced
2 tsp. lemon zest
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. paprika
½ tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1 Tbsp. fresh chives
1 tsp. fresh thyme
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
Melt butter in a large skillet; add mushrooms and saute until they start to soften. Add garlic and saute until fragrant. Stir in remaining ingredients and cook uncovered for 30 minutes or until mushrooms are tender.
BUTTERFINGER POUND CAKE
1 box yellow cake mix
1 (3.4 oz.) vanilla instant pudding
4 large eggs
1 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 (1.9 oz.) Butterfinger candy bars, finely crushed
Frosting:
½ cup butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 Tbsp. milk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a Bund cake pan; set aside. Combine cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, water, oil, and vanilla; beat with an electric mixer for 2 minutes and add crushed Butterfingers (reserve 2 Tbsp. for topping). Pour into prepared pan and bake for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes and invert into a serving plate. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and add sugar, milk, and vanilla and mix until light and fluffy. May need to add more sugar until desired consistency. Spread over top of cake and top with crushed Butterfingers.
