Third Sunday Dinner Report June 2015

     Summer time and the living is easy,  I love summer, but having said that Arizona is hot and 5:00 in the afternoon it is at it's hottest, so dinner is hard and hot and my group has gotten so big that we don't fit into the house any more.  So for June and July we have adapted to the heat and changed it up.  There is a lesson hear.  Be flexible,  being flexible allows for growth and lifts the stress.  Last summer we decided to do the same thing and it was wonderful.  So now we have a new tradition,  we do a Summer Ice Cream and Cookie Social.  Perfect and we start at 7:00,  it's still hot out side, but my yard is almost all shaded.  And this summer we added a musical performance.  

    

     Who does not love Cookies, Ice Cream and some great music.  Perfect for hot summer Sundays.  I had a great time and so did everyone else.  Actually this third Sunday was Fathers day, so I expected a smaller group.  It was great,  I believe in being consistent, so I still move on no matter what is the day.  

      Oh, I had a phone call from the Mission President's Wife and she had a large, extra large bag of potatoes, it was so thoughtful of her, so I decided that French Fries was in line for the day.  And it was great,  everyone loves Ice Cream and French Fries.  The funny thing was all the memories that came up from everyone there around eating ice cream and French Fries.  My favorite Ice Cream place years ago was Swensons, we would go there and eat fries and Ice Cream,  it was heavenly.  Funny how the simplest things can bring up such sweet memories.  

    Now we have some great new memories of Ice Cream, French Fries, and some really great music. 

The music was really the highlight.  We have a very gifted singer, Melissa Solomon,  who sings in the Arizona Opera perform for us.  And Nathan Botts, a very gifted musician played the key board for her.  It was fabulous.  Can't wait until next month.   

     Here is the months reviews in pictures,  enjoy the adventure.  

All set up to make fries.  

I love kitchen Gadgets,  this one is my favorite.  It chops, slices, and so much more. 

French Fries do better if you soak them in salt water first.  And it keeps them from turning brown.  It also allows you to be ahead of the came.  This is a three gallon bucket.  Filled up.

Fry Central.  I do it out side.  My camp burner and dutch oven work great.  It keeps the mess out side and the heat out side with all the heat.  The huge BTU burner also gets the oil really hot.

Thrifty Ice Cream is the best.  Chocolate Mist Chip and Strawberry Cheese Cake.  

Everyone enjoys the outside.

I love this family.  It has been a great thing to watch this family grow and become part of our  community.
I think we all need to feel part of something. 

Just kicking back.

I love our neighbors.  All of them.  This family has become a great part of our neighborhood.
Good neighbors are great.  

Brothers, great men, thank you for your friendship. 

This dear woman is from Sweden,  and her daughter is our Opera Singer.

Dear sweet women.  Neighbors and dear friends.

Don't Know if this works or not, but I tried to capture this on film.  

Nothing like a backyard concert.  

This young girl loves to sing.  She performed for us after the program.  Next month she is on the program.  Her mother ran home to get her when she heard we were having a concert.














Third Sunday Dinner's can be what ever you want them to be.   From dinner to ice cream and French Fries, and concerts.  Let your imagination and needs create your Tradition.  I love my tradition and I love the memories I have made over the past few years.  Enjoy your adventure,  I am loving mine.  Chef Brad~America's Grain Guy

Third Sunday Dinner Report~May and June 2015

Time goes so fast and here we are in June getting ready for another Third Sunday Dinner and I have not even posted for April and May.  Please forgive me.  It has been a couple of crazy months, a whole other story coming soon called "The Gluten Free Scandal".   Any way here it is, late but full of fun and food.  Enjoy and thank your for reading.  

April and May are great months for eating out.  In fact this May we had record cool weather in Arizona.  It was amazing.  

In April we did a tostada bar.  Beans are cheap and tortillas are even cheaper.  So that is what we did.  It was so much fun.  We fried hundreds of tortillas and ate two roaster pans full of beans.  I also baked wheat free whole grain white chocolate basil brownies.  Wow, I had forgotten how good they are.  No food left over and lots of happy memories.

In May, sorry no pictures, we did pasta and fresh baked rosemary flat bread in the outdoor pizza oven.  I showed the boys what to do and I left.  May was really fun,  we had some special guest come and it happened to fall on my birthday.  What a great way to spend my birthday.   It was so fun.  So we had the Mesa Mission President and his darling wife come to dinner.  They are amazing and everyone loved meeting them and feeling of their great spirits.  President and Sister Jenkins enjoyed the evening and I think we enjoyed them more.  What great people to give up three years of their lives to serve the Lord and all the young men and women they preside over.  What a huge responsibility and how amazing they took time out to come to dinner.  It was great.   

We also has Marvin Goldstien and Vanessa Joy show up and give up a quick mini concert.  It was magical and so much fun.  I love Marvin and Vanessa.  We will be doing a class together at BYU Education Week in August.  This will be our third year of teaching together.  They are so talented and so willing to share what they do with others.  I adore them both and felt honored to have them in my home again.  

June and July we change it up a little.  We do a Cookie and Ice Cream Social later in the evening.   It's so hot and my house will not accommodate all the people that come inside so we have to do it out.  At seven o'clock it is somewhat cooler and the Ice Cream helps make it feel even cooler.  It will be great.  We are adding a Back Yard concert to the event to make it funner.  

Enjoy the pictures and I hope you are having success in doing Third Sunday Like Events in your home.  Remember the power that comes when we open up our hearts and homes to others.  This is where true Christian Fellowship can really happen.   Enjoy your journey and adventures in life.  

Chef Brad~America's Grain Guy

Now that's a pot of beans.  Actually we did two of these and there were not leftovers.  I did blend them to turn them into
re fried beans.  Beans are cheap and oh so healthy for you.  

Pans of Basil Brownies.  I love these.  I make them and cut them into inch squares.  I pile them up on platters and everyone enjoys them.

  Nothing quit like fried corn tortillas.  I love them and they make great tostadas.  I cannot buy the ones already done.  They are expensive and taste off.  

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     I keep thinking the great things the youth learn each month when they volunteer to come and help me.  Actually they do most of the work.  I love them and their willingness to serve the help out.  No complaints, no problems, just happy faces and fun.  I love the youth.




















This young lady comes early every month and pulls it all together for me.  She adds all the last minute touches and is always happy and willing to do whatever,  even if it is something she has never done before.  Amazing how willing the youth are to serve.

Happy Faces make it a great day. 

All the food spread out.  It went so fast I almost didn't get a picture.  

I love the young couples that come.  Life can be hard when you are just starting out.
Being with others that love you can sure make a difference.  

More happy eaters.  

I love the Mormon Missionaries.   You dont' have to be Mormon to appreciate the dedication and
devotion of these young men.  Giving up two years of their lives to serve others.  Thank you boys for all you do.

I really enjoy getting to know my neighbors.

This sweet family just joined the Church.  

When I think of the great things that are in store for them I just smile and
thank the Lord for opportunity to know them and maybe in some small way
help them find greater joy and happiness in their journey.

One of my best friends.  This man is amazingly talented in so many ways.  I love him.

So fun to see everyone enjoying the day.

Marvin is goofy and so much fun.  Vanessa classes up the act.

This man and his darling wife have been good friend for 25 years.  We have been
in the same neighborhood for that long.  He is our current Bishop and I adore them in every way.
I feel honored when he comes to dinner.  He is so busy.

Thank you President and Sister Jenkins for honoring us by coming to dinner.
We could all feel the love you have and the joy you feel in serving the Lord.

Thank you both for such sweet memories.  I will treasure the memory of your
happy birthday song to me.  Love you both.