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Margaret McSweeneyMargaret lives with her husband and two daughters in a Chicago suburb. Her book, A Mother's Heart Knows was published by Thomas Nelson (2005). Go Back and Be Happy, a co-authored book published by Lion Hudson (2008). Margaret has been featured on Greg Wheatly's "Prime Time America," TLN's "Aspiring Women," and LeSea's "The Harvest Show." Margaret writes freelance articles for The Daily Herald, the largest suburban Chicago newspaper. Notable interviews include Wolfgang Puck, Thomas Kinkade, Susan Branch and Dr. John Gottman. Margaret also wrote a feature article for Crosswalk.com. With a master's degree in international business, Margaret became a vice president in the corporate finance division of a New York City bank and worked there from 1986-1993.

Supporting charitable causes is important to Margaret. For the past five years, she has served on the board of directors for WINGS, an organization that helps abused women and their children get a new start in life. Margaret would love to meet you too. Please visit her at her writing blog, From Finance to Fiction or the Pearl Girls blog. You can also follow her on twitter or friend her on facebook.

Join Margaret for Kitchen Chat Friday's at  11am CST!

Have a question for Margaret or one of her guests? Call 1-877-864-4869.

 

Facebook: Margaret on Facebook   Twitter: Margaret on Twitter

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This week on Kitchen Chat: Carl Raymond - Mar 15, 2010

I'm thrilled about this week's guest - Carl is an amazing man who wears many hats. In some circles he's known Carlas Chef Carl and in other circles he's best known for his publishing expertize with Guideposts as the director of Marketing.

Here is a bit about Carl from his culiniary website: Carl's culinary passions began years ago combining his New England roots with interests in world cuisine.  After spending a year living and studying in France, he returned to the United States and continued his studies in language and culture.  He has studied at the French Culinary Institute and holds a diploma with highest honors in culinary arts from New York’s Institute of Culinary Education.   Through extensive travel in Europe, notably France and Italy, Carl refined his passion and deepened his knowledge of regional cooking of southern France, Provence, Burgundy, Italy and Greece.   He has studied Italian cuisine with such luminaries as Guiliano Bugialli, Anna Teresa Callen and Giulano Hazan. Additional studies have included coursework in food journalism with Alan Richman and food styling with Delores Custer.  One of Carl's passions is the cuisine of India and he has taken class with Suvir Saran and has studied privately with Julie Sahni.

Carl has spent the major part of his career in the world of food media including both publishing and television.  As former Publishing Director for adult readers at DK Publishing/Penguin he created a US based food and wine publishing program acquiring and launching such titles are MORIMOTO: THE NEW ART OF JAPANESE COOKING which was nominated for the prestigious James Beard and IACP awards.  In addition, he published such acclaimed titles as THE ETHNIC PARIS COOKBOOK, IN THE KENNEDY KITCHEN,  and SPAIN AND THE WORLD TABLE with the Culinary Institute of America among others.  He has worked as a culinary researcher for After Five productions, producers of Emeril Lagasse television. In addition, he has worked as a recipe tester with the Food Network and has written and developed recipes for Rodale's PREVENTION magazine.
 
He lives on Manhattan's Upper West Side and continues to follow his culinary passions around the world.  He is fluent in French and Italian and is currently at work on his own series of books.

Link to Article
Comments
  1. Sharon says: How do you manage two successful careers. Do you ever feel like a two-headed monster?

    Posted on: 03-17-2010 @ 6:55 pm EST
  2. Rebecca says: What book/s are you reading now?

    Posted on: 03-17-2010 @ 6:55 pm EST


This week on Kitchen Chat: Susan May Warren - Mar 11, 2010

Join me as I chat with the oh-so-talented author Susan May Warren. We'll hear some surprises from her past smwas well as some funny stuff from the present. Susan will also be sharing about her latest releases Sons of Thunder, book one in her Brothers in Arms collection and Double Trouble, book two in her PJ Sugar series.

Susan is not only a writer, but she mentors writer's too. She's joined forces with Rachel Hauck and Sarah Anne Sumpolec to create a story-crafting service, My Book Therapy. If you haven't been to one of My Book Therapy's reatreats - sign up TODAY! The next one is in Seattle for all you northwesterners. Also, be sure to sign up for the Voices eZine - so many useful articles and tips.

Have a question for Susan - call in to the show: 1-877-864-4869

Here is the official bio for Susan: Susan May Warren is the RITA award-winning author of twenty-four novels with Tyndale, Barbour and Steeple Hill. A four-time Christy award finalist, a two-time RITA Finalist, she’s also a multi-winner of the Inspirational Readers Choice award, and the ACFW Book of the Year.

Susan's larger than life characters and layered plots have won her acclaim with readers and reviewers alike. A seasoned women’s events and retreats speaker, she’s a popular writing teacher at conferences around the nation and the author of the beginning writer’s workbook: From the Inside-Out: discover, create and publish the novel in you!. She is also the founder of www.MyBookTherapy.com, a story-crafting service that helps authors discover their voice.

Susan makes her home in northern Minnesota, where she is busy cheering on her two sons in football, and her daughter in local theater productions (and desperately missing her college-age son!) A full listing of her titles, reviews and awards can be found at: www.susanmaywarren.com

Don't miss the contest Susan is running for Sons of Thunder - visit the SHARE page at the Brothers In Arms website and share a bit of your family history for your chance to win a Memory Prize Pack (a hardback photo memory book, a 6-month membership to Netflix, and more)!


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Win a copy of Double Trouble and Sons of Thunder by leaving  a comment here (along with your email address!)

Susie May Warren’s Writing Inspiration Chocolate Chip Cookies

Combine:
2 c. sugar
1 T. molassas
 ½ c. margarine
½ c.  butter flavored shortening
2 beaten eggs
1 t. vanilla

Beat until well blended.

Add:
3 c. flour
¾ t. baking soda
¾ t. salt

Mix until creamy.

Add ½-1 bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips (stored in the freezer).
Mix until just blended.

Drop in teaspoon sized balls onto a cookie sheet.  Bake 8-10 minutes.

 

Link to Article
Comments
  1. Martha Artyomenko says: Those sounds like some really good chocolate chip cookies! I might have to print out the recipe and go make some now!! That is how I make brown sugar too! I would love to win either of those books....I actually have not read either and I try to read everything I can by you! martha(at)lclink(dot)com

    Posted on: 03-12-2010 @ 1:01 pm EST
  2. Mary Hake says: Can you use margarine or butter instead? I've also heard not to store chocolate in the freezer because it causes a change--that's why they turn color when you take them out. tormhake @ netzero.com

    Posted on: 03-12-2010 @ 1:16 pm EST
  3. Rochelle Ness says: These cookies sound yummy! I've never tried making them with molasses. I can't wait to read the latest books! Maybe I should have my hubby nurse me back to health with those cookies and curl up with a good book? rochelleness@hotmail.com

    Posted on: 03-12-2010 @ 1:46 pm EST


This Week on Kitchen Chat: Julie Papievis - Mar 01, 2010

Join me this week as I chat with my dear friend and co-author Julie Papievis! 

I co-wrote Go Back and Be Happy with Julie. Her story is AMAZING! In Julie Papievis' words: Traumatic brain injury is the number one killer of persons under the age of 44. Every twenty one seconds, someone suffers a traumatic brain injury (TBI) in the United States. As a result, 5.3 million Americans are living with a disability from TBI. This non-discriminatory injury changes life in an instant.

On May 10, 1993 my life was changed forever because someone ran a red light. Featured on Lifetime's "Beyond Chance", CNN, Woman's Day Magazine, and top ranked WB's WGN News, my story is gaining national attention. After a life-threatening car accident, I suffered a severe brain stem injury and medically died, rating a "3", the lowest number possible on the Glascow Coma Scale.


According to medical experts, 96% of the people with such a severe injury either die or remain permanently comatose. The few who survive typically face a non-functional life. I completely beat the odds even though I remained in a coma for over a month. Paralyzed and unconscious, I was transferred to the locked brain injury wing of a rehabilitation facility, where I awakened with vivid memories of my near death experience. During "death" I saw my grandmothers in heaven. They instructed me to "Go back and be happy" and assured me that my body would heal.

Although medical experts said I would never walk again, or be able to take care of myself, I didn't listen. I believed the words of my grandmothers. Through extensive therapy, I relearned how to stand, walk, and swallow. However, I faced the daunting challenge of facing the able-bodied world as a disabled person. After overcoming paralysis and battling severe depression, I embraced my gift of recovery as a true miracle. In 1999, I ran in a 5K race near Chicago on Mother's Day! In February 2007, I completed my first triathlon. I have become an advocate for other survivors looking for hope and guidance.

I hope my story of faith and determination offers an inspirational and practical approach to dealing with sudden changes in life. Like an oyster, I transformed the unexpected "grit" in my life into a precious pearl. Visit the Julie's website.


Win a copy of Go Back and Be Happy - leave a comment on this post (be sure to include your email address!)




Read the first Chapter!
A Wrecked Life: May 10, 1993 at 6:55 p.m. Pulling her short brown hair, Toni Rapach screamed over the blaring song on the car radio, “Honk your horn, TJ! Hurry! Honk your horn!” The couple watched in disbelief as a large burgundy Oldsmobile Cutlass ran a red light and violently struck the driver’s side of a small, white Mazda sports car turning left out of a shopping mall in a Chicago suburb. Toni jumped from her car and shouted “Somebody call 911!” An older couple raced toward the accident scene. The wife shouted over to Toni, “We’re calling 911 right now on our cell phone, and my husband’s a doctor!” In 1993, a mobile phone was not a common item. Toni burst into tears when she looked into the Mazda and saw an unconscious young woman with a mane of blonde hair. She watched helplessly as the woman’s head lay against the chest as if it was disconnected from her body. Toni turned around and shouted, “Please somebody help!” “This poor girl and her family,” she sobbed. “They will never be the same.” The gathering crowd rushed to the crumpled car and tried to open the driver’s door which was streaked with burgundy paint from the Oldsmobile. The forceful impact left both axles broken on the Mazda. A man ran to the other side of the car and managed to climb into the tangled debris. As he reached behind to pick up the young woman’s head, the doctor instructed, “Don’t move her.” “I’m an off-duty paramedic,” the man answered in a calm and confident manner. “I know what I’m doing.” “Go ahead then. I’m here if you need anything.” The off-duty paramedic happened to be a block away from the accident scene getting his tires fixed. He lifted the woman’s head from her chest and cleared the airway so oxygen could pass to the brain. At 6:57 p.m., just two minutes after the accident, firefighters and paramedics arrived in a whir of sirens and flashing lights. Realizing the severity of the accident, Lieutenant Jim Streu radioed in a call to the station, “Extrication equipment is needed at the scene. Send in the fire truck.” Paramedics Greg Sauchuk and Randy Deicke leaped out of Ambulance 61. Racing to the scene with his first aid box, Greg said, “Oh, man. This is really bad.” They faced a “Trauma Red” and time was a major concern. Two minutes of the “Golden Hour” had already ticked away. Comprehensive medical treatment within that golden hour was imperative to offer any hope. Opening the first aid box, Greg removed some medical instruments to assess the woman’s condition. He recognized his off-duty paramedic friend who was holding the woman’s neck from the back seat of the car. Chips of sparkling glass surrounded the Mazda like Mardi Gras beads. Reaching through the blown out window, Greg said, “Tom, how did you manage to even climb into this pretzel? Thanks for stabilizing her neck and clearing the airway.” Greg checked the woman’s breathing and said, “Amazing. I feel a pulse. She doesn’t need CPR.” Lifting the woman’s eyelids, Greg checked the pupils with a small flashlight. They didn’t react. “Pupils dilated and fixed,” Greg reported to Randy and then shouted, “Hey, Miss! Can you hear me?!” The woman remained silent. With his large six foot three, 245 pound frame, Greg pressed his fist into the woman’s chest. She didn’t even flinch. “Patient is unresponsive to pain with sternum rub,” Greg said. “She scores a 3.” Greg rated the woman on the Glasgow Coma Scale, a quick, practical and standardized system developed in 1975 for assessing the level of consciousness and predicting the ultimate outcome of a coma. A three was the lowest score out of a possible fifteen. “I’ll check her vitals,” Randy said as he wrapped the vinyl cuff around the woman’s arm to check for blood pressure. He placed the stethoscope on the inner arm and pumped the rubber ball. No reading. He tried again. “I can’t even hear the blood flow,” Randy said and shook his head while placing his fingertips on the woman’s artery to check for a pulse. “Patient’s palpable blood pressure is only eighty. Not good. Looks like a traumatic brain injury. Probably brain stem. Elevated heart rate is 120. This is bad guys. She’s in shock. Possible internal damage. After this car door is off, let’s do a ‘scoop and run.’” Within a minute, the fire truck arrived with the “jaws of life” equipment. Al Green, another paramedic was also on the truck along with firefighter, Tony Pascolla. Tony lifted the forty pound Hurst equipment and steadied the hydraulic spreader as he ripped open the car door from its hinges. “I’ll be done in two minutes,” Tony shouted over the loud noise. The paramedics decided against calling a helicopter since time was essential. Due to the severity of injuries, they agreed to take the woman to a Level I Trauma Center instead of the nearest hospital. Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Illinois was fourteen miles away. They knew that neurosurgeon, Dr. John Shea was her only hope. The ambulance left the scene at 7:12 p.m and arrived at 7:25 p.m. Randy, Greg and Al pulled the stretcher out of the ambulance and ran into the emergency entrance to hand the woman over to the trauma team. “She’s posturing!” Randy said. They watched as the woman started extending her arms and legs in primitive reflexes, a sign that her body could not regulate itself. She then urinated all of the water from her body, soaking the stretcher, and started agonal breathing, the last breaths taken before dying. As Greg walked back with Randy and Al toward the ambulance, he glanced over his shoulders at the lifeless body being carted away by the trauma team. “Dear God,” he prayed. “Please help her through this. Just help her through this.” He climbed into the driver’s seat and left the hospital. He’d seen it before. He knew firsthand that traumatic brain injury is the number one killer of people forty-four years old and younger.
Link to Article
Comments
  1. Kelly says: Bravo! What an encouraging testimony. As a brain-tumor survivor I understood so well your comment about facing an able-bodied world as a disabled person. When its brain injury, it's invisible, but its devestatingly real to us! I am going to get your book and read it. I am 7 years into my brain injury recovery journey and learn more and more each day how to cope and be what God intends. It's difficult facing limitations that you didn't have before. I was 44 when I was diagnosed with my brain tumor. Actually it was my 44th birthday. Interesting how your stats state #1 killer of those 44 and younger. Anyway, God bless you and thank you for sharing your encouraging story. To God be the Glory! Now go be happy!

    Posted on: 03-03-2010 @ 10:04 pm EST
  2. Kelly says: Oops! email address is greer.kelly@sbcglobal.net

    Posted on: 03-03-2010 @ 10:05 pm EST


This week on Kitchen Chat: Author Suzanne Woods Fisher - Feb 23, 2010

Join us on Friday as we chat with the author who has grown up around the Amish all her life. Her book The SWFChoice was #8 on the CBA Best Seller List last week. Wow! The Choice is book one in a fresh fiction series and explores what happens when one young Amish woman must make the choice of a lifetime…

With a vibrant style and authentic understanding of the Amish way of life, author Suzanne Woods Fisher brings readers into the world of a young Amish woman who is faced with a choice that will impact the rest of her life.

Curious about the Amish and their lifestyle? Call in with your questions 1-877-864-4869!

Suzanne Woods Fisher has straddled the world between the Amish and the English all her life: Many of her relatives are of a strict religious sect like the Amish, known as the Dunkard Brethren Church. Because of Fisher’s ties to the Amish, she has made every effort to keep her storytelling authentic, showcasing the Amish’s strong communities, their simple life-style and their willingness to put each other first. She is also the author of the nonfiction collection of stories about the Amish that came out in October, Amish Peace. Want more? Suzanne is in the process of launching her own radio show, Amish Wisdom. The debut show will be March 11th - mark your calendars!

the choiceAbout The Choice: In her fiction debut, The Choice, Fisher paints a moving picture of the decision Carrie must make as she comes of age: to follow the man she loves and leave the Amish community, or stay and marry another man. Her choice begins a torrent of change for her and her family, including a marriage of convenience to silent Daniel Miller. Both bring broken hearts into their arrangement—and secrets that have been held too long.

Official Blurb: Combined with Fisher's exceptional gift for character development, this novel, the first in the Lancaster County series, is a welcome reminder that it is never too late to find your way back to God—no matter what choices your past may hold.

One moment, Carrie Weaver is planning to elope with Lancaster Barnstormer Solomon Riehl, leaving their Amish community behind. The next, she is staring into a future as broken as her heart. Now Carrie faces a choice. An opportunity. But will this decision, this moment in time, change her life forever?

Sound intriguing?

Win a signed copy of The Choice! Just leave a comment on this post!

Oh, and I'm super excited about the recipe Suzanne is sharing with us! Whoopie!

Recipe: WHOOPIE PIES

 
Just what is a Whoopie Pie? And how did it get its name?

First...the name:

Legend has it that when Pennsylvania Dutch children would find these traditional cream-cheese-icing filled chocolate cookie cakes in their lunches, they'd be so excited they'd cry, "Whoopee!"

 
Whoopie Pieswhoopie pie credit Williams-sonoma.com
 
4 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup shortening
1 cup cocoa
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup thick sour milk
1 cup hot water

Cream together sugar, salt, shortening, vanilla and eggs. Sift together flour, soda and cocoa. Add this to the first mixture alternately with water and sour milk. Add slightly more flour if milk is not thick. Drop by teaspoons. Bake in hot oven at 350 until done.

Source: an Amish cookbook

This recipe doesn't have the filling in it, which you could add with whipped cream. If it seems too complicated, you could always to Williams-Sonoma and buy the mix!

Link to Article
Comments
  1. NameLinda says: I would go whoopee also! Gotta try them. I'd also like to be enter for your book drawing. I really enjoy the Amish reads. I read An Amish Christmas this past Christmas. I was wondering how they celebrate Christmas, and what a delight to find out. There are so many more Amish reads coming out. As for your book, Pick me, Pick me! Thanks. desertrose5173 at gmail dot com

    Posted on: 02-25-2010 @ 5:57 pm EST
  2. NameTrish Jorgenson says: Comment OMGosh, those look soooo good. I have printed it off and will be making it when the grandkids come the next time. Thanks so much Suzanne. :))

    Posted on: 02-26-2010 @ 11:35 am EST
  3. JoEllen McNeil says: In Holmes County, Ohio the amish bakeries sell whoopie pies made with pumpkin in the fall. Excellent!!! Thanks Suzanne for your inspirational characters.

    Posted on: 02-26-2010 @ 12:33 pm EST
  4. Name Kaye Whitney says: Comment: My Aunt Joy made Whoopie Pies for her children and for the rest of us for family reunions. She isn't Amish, but Methodist.

    Posted on: 02-26-2010 @ 12:39 pm EST
  5. Mary Hake says: I can't have chocolate. Would they work with carob?

    Posted on: 02-26-2010 @ 12:54 pm EST
  6. NameLaura says: CommentI hadn't heard of Suzanne, but enjoy the Amish stories as I come from a Mennonite background. I need to stay away from Whoopie Pies but I love to read! (I got connected her through Holley Gerth)

    Posted on: 02-26-2010 @ 12:58 pm EST
  7. Melissa Dennis says: These look wonderful. Thank you so much for introducing us to so many Amish ways.

    Posted on: 02-26-2010 @ 1:01 pm EST
  8. Name Laura says: Comment I'm the Laura between Mary and Melissa and I wanted to leave my email (just in case) samandlaura@juno.com

    Posted on: 02-26-2010 @ 1:21 pm EST
  9. Roth6@comcast.net says: When I called local Barnes and Noble to see if The Choice could be pulled for me to pick up, they said they'd sold out, but would order it..so good news for the author. Re the recipe, most call for fillings made with marshmallow fluff or stiffly beaten egg whites, but http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/pumpkin-whoopie-pies has a cream cheese based filling that may give a tangy counterpoint to the sweetness of the "pies."

    Posted on: 02-26-2010 @ 2:20 pm EST


This week on Kitchen Chat: Marc Klaas of KlaasKids Foundation - Feb 16, 2010

Join us this week as I chat with the founder of KlaasKids Foundation, Marc Klaas, about what parents can do to keep their children safe. Marc's speaks from experience, his story is heartbreaking. On Oct 1, 1993 Marc's twelve-year-old daughter Polly, was kidnapped and murdered. Since then Marc and his family have worked tirelessly to prevent other children and families from becoming victims. Marc will also be sharing about KlaasKids work against domestic citizen sex trafficking and a 5-year initiative that KlaasKids and Flying J Truck Stops has in front of the FCC that would, for the first time provide America’s trucking community with the ability to watch broadcast quality television from the cab of their trucks during mandated truck stops. Please tune in for this vital show and call in with your questions! 1-877-864-4869.

Marc gave up his lucrative rental car franchise to pursue an aggressive child safety agenda. In announcing the formation of the non-profit KlaasKids Foundation in September, 1994 Mr. Klaas said, “We can give meaning to Polly’s death and create a legacy in her name that will be protective of children for generations to come by pursuing the singular mission of stopping crimes against children.” On June 8, 2001 Mr. Klaas co-founded BeyondMissing, Inc., a federally funded California public benefit non-profit corporation.

KK

BeyondMissing provides America's law enforcement community with a free and secure Website to easily and swiftly create and distribute missing child flyers via broadcast fax, email, and SMS technology. Working with Texas Governor Perry’s staff, BeyondMissing, Inc. has created a state of the art high tech Amber Alert application that is unsurpassed in efficiency, speed and dependability.

Through federal and state legislative efforts Mr. Klaas promotes prevention programs for at-risk youth, stronger sentencing for violent criminals and governmental accountability and responsibility. Often times this advocacy takes the form of legislative testimony.

Mr. Klaas has appeared on most network television newsmagazines, syndicated talk shows and is a regular resource for CNN, FOX and MSNBC, offering commentary on missing children and victim’s rights. He has written for Newsweek Magazine and published editorial opinions for newspapers as diverse as the San Francisco Chronicle, San Jose Mercury News and the Cleveland Plain Dealer. A sought after speaker, Mr. Klaas has shared a podium with President Bill Clinton, New York Governor George Pataki, California Governor Gray Davis; Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mayor Guliani and many other distinguished civic leaders.

Mr. Klaas travels extensively through the United States facilitating town-hall meetings, encouraging innovative solutions and proven programs that positively impact crime, abuse and neglect that plague children in so many of our communities. He also counsels and advises numerous victim families and families of kidnapped children.

Besides his duties as president of the KlaasKids Foundation and volunteer president of BeyondMissing, Inc. Mr. Klaas sits on the advisory boards of the Center for the Community Interest; Fight Crime Invest in Kids and the National Children's Advocacy Center. For more information please visit www.klaaskids.org.

Marc also shares his FAMOUS FISH TACOS with us!

This contemporary take on a Mexican coastal favorite is easy to make, healthy to eat, and fun to share with friends and family

Awesome Fish Taco’sfish tacos
12 Flour or Corn tortillas - warmed
1 Lb Ahi steak – grilled to desired doneness
Red cabbage – shredded
Avocado – peeled, pitted and sliced
Lime – cut into eighths
Yogurt/Chipotle sauce (recipe below)
Papaya salsa (recipe below)

Yogurt/Chipotle sauce

Mix 8 oz of Plain Greek Yogurt with 1 Chipotle chili pepper in a small food processor until fully blended. You can use more than one Chipotle depending on the amount of heat desired, but always begin with just one. Be sure to use Greek Yogurt as it is thicker and more substantial than domestic yogurt. This is a healthy and delicious alternative to sour cream.

Papaya salsa
2 cups Papaya – chopped fine
2 Tbs Red Onion – chopped fine
2 Tbs Jalapeno – minced
¼ cup Cilantro – chopped coarsely
¼ cup Lime juice
Salt and Pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients. Refrigerate 1-2 hours before use. Mango is a delicious substitution if you cannot find ripe papaya.

Directions
Place the grilled Ahi, Yogurt/Chipotle sauce, Papaya salsa, shredded red cabbage, sliced avocado in separate mini-serving dishes and place on table with appropriate serving utensils.
Sprinkle tortillas with water on each side and warm on both sides over medium heat on non-stick frying pan.
Place warmed tortilla on plate and spread a teaspoon of Yogurt/Chipotle sauce down middle of tortilla. Then load the other ingredients on as desired. Get ready for a flavor explosion that will blow your mind. Repeat until your eyes bulge and your stomach begs you to stop.

Link to Article


Recent Shows
Title Date
Kitchen Chat: Chatting with fabulous author Susan May Warren03-13-2010
03-13-2010
Kitchen Chat: Guest Julie Papievis shares her journey from severe brain stem injury to running a marathon 03-06-2010
03-06-2010
Kitchen Chat: All Things Amish with Suzanne Woods Fisher 02-26-2010
02-26-2010
Kitchen Chat: Protecting Our Kids with Marc Klaas 02-19-2010
02-19-2010
Kitchen Chat: Chatting with Author Beth Pattillo 02-12-2010
02-12-2010
View All Podcasts
Recipe Box

Bonnie's St. John: Shepard's Pie

Holley Gerth: Éclair Cake

Dawn Meehan: Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Wings (Rita Canning & Rebecca Darr): Apple Walnut Cake and Italian Potatoes

Beth Pattillo: Chicken Tortilla Soup

Marc Klass: Awesome Fish Tacos

Suzanne Woods Fisher: Whoopie Pies!

Susan May Warren: Writing Inspiration Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

Schedule of Guests

March:

19 Carl Raymond

26 Dallas Jenkins

April:

2 Jenny Bent

9 Mary DeMuth

16 Allison Bottke

23 Robin Jones Gunn

30 Tricia Goyer

May:

7 Kristin Andress

14 Jill Hart & Mary Byers

21 Lew Sterrett

28 Krista Dunk

June:

4 Stephen Bruce

11 Kathleen Schmidt

18 Deb Kalmbach

25 Stacey Kannenberg

July:

2 Jennifer Degler

8 Beth Adams

15 Jeane Wynn

 

Pearl GirlsĀ®

Pearl Girls button


Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace

After experiencing the death of both parents, Margaret McSweeney recognized the importance of community like never before. Through these difficult times in life, she learned how God uses gritty circumstances to conform us to the stunning image of Christ.

McSweeney also realized that she was not at all alone. It is for this reason that she decided to compile essays into an inspiring book: Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit Experiencing Grace. Through this collection, readers will be encouraged by the heartfelt writings that deal with loss and hardship in a real and honest way. Respected authors such as Shaunti Feldhahn, Melody Carlson, Debbie Macomber, Robin Jones Gunn and others help remind every woman that they are not alone and that no circumstance is beyond the grace of God.

McSweeney uses the metaphor of a pearl in order to better describe the situations that ail us all. When an oyster takes in a piece of sand in order to create its coveted masterpiece, it is initially painful to the soft flesh of the creature. But after the pain, appears a clean, white symbol of simplicity, purity, and endurance that any woman would be proud to wear. McSweeney believes that each woman is a pearl and together, form a necklace of great worth. In this book, readers will discover community and encouragement: women are alone in neither their pain nor victories in life.

Order Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace

Read an excerpt

Press Release

Visit the Post-a-Pearl Page