Third Sunday Dinner Sept 2016

Everyone loves beans and tortillas.  

Summer time I take off doing dinners.  We just do Ice Cream and Cookies later in the evenings.  It's just to hot for a huge meal and the group is so big it's hard to do it in the house.  September is great.  Still warm out but doable.  I have really learned a lot over the past many years doing dinners.  It's been amazing.  I was thinking the other day the most important thing I have learned over the years is that when one is on the Lord's Errand it always works out.    Time and time again I have been reminded of that and each time I am humbled at the miracle of how it works.   I have mentioned before that Third Sunday Dinners are not always easy.  They are hard often especially when my schedule is so packed.  

But as I have moved forward I have felt the power and blessings in doing what sometimes seems impossible.  I have come to understand in a deeper meaning that the Lord's Errands entitles us to his grace and blessings.   

So with that I look forward to another fall and winter season of Third Sunday Dinners.  I look forward to the blessing and the wonderful connection of those who come to my home to enjoy the food, company, and just the blessing of connection.    Food has that power and I am ever amazed at just how powerful it works and really has the ability to open hearts, bring people tougher, heal wounds, and just plain bless our lives.  

Thank you for reading and enjoy this blog.   Greatest joy to you in all your culinary adventures.  

Chef Brad~America's Grain Guy 

My camp stove really gets used.  Not so much for camping, but for Third Sunday Dinner.

Justin Turley  Wow I enjoy this boy and his service to everyone. 

Micah and Dean.  The young men at our Church really are amazing.
They show up every month to bless us all.

I did thick flour tortillas fried with beans on top.  Easy cheating
Navajo tacos.  

Fresh Salsa is always a hit.

Connection, that's what is all about. 

So relaxing.

I think he likes the food. 

Good friends. 

New friends for me.  My good friend invited his family  I was thrilled. 

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Gotta love the missionaries.  Bobbie and Lauren are great friends
nurtured each month at dinner.

I tried to get a close up of that face.  He was enjoying the beans. 

So good to see everyone.  Wow I love these kids. And now their  Kids. 

Really!!   Please let me smile first.    Sorry Julie.  

Summer Fun. Annual Cooking day with Uncle Chef Brad

Summer time is for enjoying time off and enjoying the family.  For me it's cooking time with my nieces and nephews.  This is a  tradition for us and we really enjoy the day.  This year they wanted to do a competition.  So that is just what we did.  Wow, how much fun.  

Each year they look forward to cooking and being old enough to come.  We have an age requirement and it's fun for them to look forward to being able to come.  It's great fun as we gather and create lifetime memories.  

This year was the largest group yet.   The mothers stick around for transportation needs as we do a culinary adventure first.  I like to take them out to experience things that they normally would not experience at home.  From stores to eating it's always so much fun to expose them to new things.   

This year for the challenge I decided that hummus was a good one for them to learn how to make and to top it off we would do Cake Wars.   They were excited as we took off to a wonderful international market.  I explained what we were doing and divided them into three teams, mixing up the ages and cousins.   At the store they had to choose the ingredients for the hummus and the ingredients to decorate and flavor the cakes that were already baked and ready to frost and decorate.  

They had a ball at the store.  I was really intrigued with the choices they made.  These kids really have great imaginations and creativity.  It was amazing and exciting as they made their purchases.  

Two years ago I treated them to boba drinks.  It was really funny. They really didn't like them and I told them that it was ok.  It was all about the experience.   So this year I had not intended to do boba drinks.  While at the store after the shopping they asked "Uncle Brad, what about boba drinks?"  I was surprised and asked them if they were sure.  They were.  So 19 drinks later, (the poor woman) we were enjoying boba drinks.  At least some of us were enjoying them.  It was all about the experience. They will be talking about boba drinks for a long time.  

Off to my kitchen for the event.  We were ready.  Plenty of interesting ingredients and plenty of energy.  

This is the store.  The international market on Broadway and Dobson in Mesa Az.

 Shopping,  what an adventure. 

Boba Drinks for everyone. 

Off to the kitchen  We have all we need. 

Fresh Avocado are perfect in hummus. 

So much to do.

Ours will be the best.  

One of the finished hummus. 

I was so amazed at the cooking, but the cake contest was so cool.  I was so amazed at the end results of these wonderful children.  Three groups and three totally different cakes.  Each one was absolutely amazing.  Take a look and enjoy.

Our children are so capable of great things.  These cakes taught me a great lesson about our youth.  They are capable and given the task hold nothing back and rise to the occasion.