again

It has been the year of moves for us. I very often wish it had been the Year of Cakes, but no such luck for me. We move again on Thursday--this time it is only 1 mile away and under basically better circumstances (husband in town, no house for sale, leaving the rental with the cadaver smell in the basement).

Sometimes I wish we were moving to a warmer place (sorry, but it's true...I hate being cold). Sometimes I wish our new house did not have the washer/dryer hookups in the bathroom.

At the same time, though, I realize (over and over, as I am not one to learn my lesson the first time) that we are blessed beyond belief. To have employment. To be able to buy a house. To have friends (in Texas AND Michigan) who take hours out of their day to pack up the kitchen.

Blessed, blessed, blessed.

And I-- an unprofitable servant if there ever was one--am probably not very deserving.

I am grateful still.

sort of make-ahead cajun rice (made in the rice cooker)

I like this recipe because you can do the chopping and sauteing before church (or any 2-3 hour commitment) and it cooks while you're out. Plus it's full of vegetables. Yum.

1. Saute in a pan or cook in the microwave:

1/2 lb polska kielbasa or sausage of your choice, sliced

After the sausage is cooked, cover and refrigerate.

2. Saute in a pan until crisp-tender:

2-3 celery stalks, chopped

1/2 green bell pepper, chopped

2 carrots, scraped and chopped

2 T olive oil

3. Combine the vegetables with the following ingredients in the rice cooker and set it to cook at the time you desire.

1 1/2 cups vegetable juice (V-8)

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 1/2 cups uncooked rice

1 tsp dried onion

1 tsp thyme

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp Tabasco (optional)

1 bay leaf

4. When you return home, reheat the sausage and combine the cooked rice/vegetable mixture.

Serves 4-5.